An Indian panel will agree rules governing the award of future telecoms licences in 10 days, the telecoms minister said on Thursday.
About 30 firms have submitted around 300 applications to set up telecoms services in the world's hottest wireless market, where low call rates and rising incomes are spurring breakneck growth.
The committee, set up by the government, has been charged with scrutinising the applications.
"The report will be submitted in 10 days," the minister, A. Raja, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.
Among those interested in getting licences are real-estate firms such as DLF, Unitech and Parsvnath Developers, and diversified group Videocon Industries.
Raja said that by 2010 India would have one rural mobile phone user for every five urban subscribers, up from one for every 25 now.
Local and global wireless carriers are looking to expand in India and the country's patchwork of relatively untapped villages - home to hundreds of millions of people - are seen as a major driver of future growth.
U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said on Monday its Indian unit had applied for licences to provide services in India in association with its local partner Mahindra Telecommunications Private Ltd.
Vodafone Group Plc, the world's second-biggest mobile firm, earlier this year paid $11.1 billion for a controlling stake in Hutchison Essar, since renamed Vodafone Essar, from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International.
India will invite bids to set up 10,000 towers in rural areas, in the second phase of the government's thrust to improve rural teledensity, Telecoms Secretary D.S. Mathur said.
The local telecoms market is divided into 23 zones and applicants are allowed to seek licences for some or all of these.
An Indian panel will agree rules governing the award of future telecoms licences in 10 days, the telecoms minister said on Thursday.
About 30 firms have submitted around 300 applications to set up telecoms services in the world's hottest wireless market, where low call rates and rising incomes are spurring breakneck growth.
The committee, set up by the government, has been charged with scrutinising the applications.
"The report will be submitted in 10 days," the minister, A. Raja, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.
Among those interested in getting licences are real-estate firms such as DLF, Unitech and Parsvnath Developers, and diversified group Videocon Industries.
Raja said that by 2010 India would have one rural mobile phone user for every five urban subscribers, up from one for every 25 now.
Local and global wireless carriers are looking to expand in India and the country's patchwork of relatively untapped villages - home to hundreds of millions of people - are seen as a major driver of future growth.
U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said on Monday its Indian unit had applied for licences to provide services in India in association with its local partner Mahindra Telecommunications Private Ltd.
Vodafone Group Plc, the world's second-biggest mobile firm, earlier this year paid $11.1 billion for a controlling stake in Hutchison Essar, since renamed Vodafone Essar, from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International.
India will invite bids to set up 10,000 towers in rural areas, in the second phase of the government's thrust to improve rural teledensity, Telecoms Secretary D.S. Mathur said.
The local telecoms market is divided into 23 zones and applicants are allowed to seek licences for some or all of these.
About 30 firms have submitted around 300 applications to set up telecoms services in the world's hottest wireless market, where low call rates and rising incomes are spurring breakneck growth.
The committee, set up by the government, has been charged with scrutinising the applications.
"The report will be submitted in 10 days," the minister, A. Raja, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.
Among those interested in getting licences are real-estate firms such as DLF, Unitech and Parsvnath Developers, and diversified group Videocon Industries.
Raja said that by 2010 India would have one rural mobile phone user for every five urban subscribers, up from one for every 25 now.
Local and global wireless carriers are looking to expand in India and the country's patchwork of relatively untapped villages - home to hundreds of millions of people - are seen as a major driver of future growth.
U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said on Monday its Indian unit had applied for licences to provide services in India in association with its local partner Mahindra Telecommunications Private Ltd.
Vodafone Group Plc, the world's second-biggest mobile firm, earlier this year paid $11.1 billion for a controlling stake in Hutchison Essar, since renamed Vodafone Essar, from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International.
India will invite bids to set up 10,000 towers in rural areas, in the second phase of the government's thrust to improve rural teledensity, Telecoms Secretary D.S. Mathur said.
The local telecoms market is divided into 23 zones and applicants are allowed to seek licences for some or all of these.
An Indian panel will agree rules governing the award of future telecoms licences in 10 days, the telecoms minister said on Thursday.
About 30 firms have submitted around 300 applications to set up telecoms services in the world's hottest wireless market, where low call rates and rising incomes are spurring breakneck growth.
The committee, set up by the government, has been charged with scrutinising the applications.
"The report will be submitted in 10 days," the minister, A. Raja, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.
Among those interested in getting licences are real-estate firms such as DLF, Unitech and Parsvnath Developers, and diversified group Videocon Industries.
Raja said that by 2010 India would have one rural mobile phone user for every five urban subscribers, up from one for every 25 now.
Local and global wireless carriers are looking to expand in India and the country's patchwork of relatively untapped villages - home to hundreds of millions of people - are seen as a major driver of future growth.
U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said on Monday its Indian unit had applied for licences to provide services in India in association with its local partner Mahindra Telecommunications Private Ltd.
Vodafone Group Plc, the world's second-biggest mobile firm, earlier this year paid $11.1 billion for a controlling stake in Hutchison Essar, since renamed Vodafone Essar, from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International.
India will invite bids to set up 10,000 towers in rural areas, in the second phase of the government's thrust to improve rural teledensity, Telecoms Secretary D.S. Mathur said.
The local telecoms market is divided into 23 zones and applicants are allowed to seek licences for some or all of these.
