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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) along with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is likely to launch third generation (3G) mobile services in the New Delhi by December 2008. This announcement was made by Telecommunications Minister A. Raja while addressing the 10th South Asian Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (SATRC) meeting in New Delhi on October 13, 2008. He also informed that the 3G service will be available in Chennai and northeast India from January 2009.
Unlike the private telecom companies, both BSNL and MTNL have acquired the allotment of 3G spectrum from the government. If a private company has to acquire 3G spectrum, it has to go through a process of bidding. The minister of telecommunication also informed that the 3G service will be launched through out the whole nation by June 2009. Talking about BSNL's initial public offering (IPO), Raja said that the ministry is in talks with trade unions to resolve the matter soon.
