Telecom operator Uninor on Monday
announced shutting down its operations in Kolkata and West Bengal
circles. The operator has suspended supply of new SIM cards and
recharges in the two circles. The move is going to impact Uninor's 5.6
million subscribers in these two circles.
"The company will issue a public notice
to all its customers in Kolkata and West Bengal requesting them to
exhaust their balance by January 18, 2013, and utilise mobile number
portability to port out to any other operator of choice," Uninor says in
a statement.
Uninor will
also be helping its employees relocating from Kolkata and West Bengal
to other circles, and assures to give them assistance in getting jobs
outside the company through outplacement agencies.
The operator, however, will continue its
operations in Mumbai circle as Telenor Group "evaluates the possibility
of participating in the second auction for spectrum in Mumbai indicated
by the Indian authorities".
Explaining reasons behind shutting down
operators, the operator further said, "With no new 1800 MHz spectrum
auctions being indicated by the authorities and 900 MHz spectrum is also
likely not be available to auction winners in 2013, Uninor will have to
stop its operations in the two circles of Kolkata and West Bengal on
January 19, 2013.”
Uninor had bagged six telecom circles
namely Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh East, Uttar Pradesh West, Gujarat
and Maharashtra in the recently held 1800 MHz auction. The company did not bid for Kolkata, West Bengal and Mumbai telecom circles.
Uninor, in which telecom major Telenor has a majority stake, was one of the telecom operators whose pan-India licence was cancelled by the Supreme Court
earlier this year. Uninor's licence is only valid till January 18,
2013. After January 18, assets and business of Uninor will be
transferred to a new entity 'Telewings Communications', in which
Norwegian firm Telenor has 74 per cent stake.
Source: TOI