NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Defence department has cleared the deck for allocating 3G spectrum to the service providers who won the airwaves through auction but these frequencies will be allocated to the telecom companies after amendment in present Unified Access Service License.

“We have the spectrum with us now and will give it to the operators after amendment in UASL condition,” said a senior DoT official who did not want to be named.

The present UASL condition is tuned as per 2G spectrum and allows telecom service providers to provide service in frequency band of 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz. DoT will have to add the clause for 3G services which is to be provided in 2.1 Ghz band which will allow TSP to provide 3G services.

According to another senior DoT official this change will be made by this evening. After this the telecom operators will be allowed to use 3G airwaves for commercial services.

DoT had concluded 3G auction in May. Seven out of nine players won the bid in various circles which included Bharti Airtel, Reliance Telecom, Tata Teleservices, Idea Cellular, Aircel, Vodafone and S TEL. BSNL and MTNL were already allocated 3G spectrum in the circles where they have their operation. Government earned revenue of more than Rs. 67,700 from the auction.