Three private telecom companies have been penalised for delaying roll out of services after they got 2G licences. Etisalat, Uninor and Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) are these companies which have paid penalty between 5 to 11 crore to the DOT. What windfall gain these companies got are thousands of crores of rupees.  But the Government has bailed out them by penalising a few crore of rupees only. Their licences should have been cancelled along with a much higher penalty. The Government always has a soft corner for the private companies.

What about the Blackberry ? Same soft corner. How many times the Government warned that unless the RIM (Research in Motion), the Canadian Company who manufactures Blackberry, provides a solution for the lawful interception of its messages for the Government of India, it will be banned in India? But never the threat has been put in action. Once again, some assurance is given by the RIM that it will provide some solution and the date has been again extended this time to 31st January 2011!