Qualcomm is facing the possible forfeiture of the wireless broadband wireless licenses that it bought last year for US$1.05 billion duringIndia’s BWA auction.
An unnamed, senior official at the Department of Telecom now claims that the company did not submit the required paperwork within the three month deadline following the action – and that this could invalidate its application. If the license is cancelled, then Qualcomm would not get a refund of its US$1.05 billion bids.
However, Qualcomm is refuting the report, saying that it hasn’t had any communications from the government about the license.
Qualcomm also told the Economic Times newspaper that it filed the license application in August, well within the deadline set in the auction conditions.
The company is in fact still waiting for the regulator to award the licenses that it won in the auction, and said that it still cannot understand what is causing the delay.
During the post-3G license auction Qualcomm picked up four BWA licenses, including the two key markets ofDelhiand Mumbai. At the time, Qualcomm said that its goal was to attract one or more experienced 3G HSPA and/or EV-DO operator partners into the venture for construction of an LTE network in compliance with the Indian Government’s rollout requirement for the BWA spectrum, and then to exit the venture.
In July 2010, Qualcomm announced Global Holding Corporation and Tulip Telecom as initial shareholders for its India LTE Venture.
