India’s telecom M&A rules, at present, require a merged entity to hold up to 25% of total assigned spectrum and up to 50% in a specific band in a service area. KOLKATA: Incumbent telcos are divided on the review of spectrum cap rules, with Vodafone India, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communications ( RCom ) pushing for the removal of caps, while market leader Bharti Airtel has resisted the idea, according to a telecom department ( DoT ) letter to the sector regulator. In its letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai ), DoT said, “Idea, Vodafone and RCom have requested removal of spectrum caps while Bharti Airtel has represented against it,” attributing the same to a report of the inter-ministerial group (IMG) that is examining stress levels in the telecom industry. The DoT has sought the regulator’s views on whether present spectrum cap rules require a review, following the IMG’s suggestions to have the matter examined amid mo...