New Delhi: Unitech Wireless, a part of the realty major Unitech Group with a pan-India mobile licence, has got both National and International Long Distance Licences.

A Department of Telecom official said the company has got NLD, ILD licences.

The company is planning to start the GSM-based mobile service in the last quarter of the current calendar, a Unitech official said.

With NLD and ILD licences the company will be able to provide cost-effective STD and ISD services to its customers from day one of the launch.

The new licences will help the company save on traffic carriage expenses as it will be carrying its own traffic in NLD and ILD segments.

All the big telecom players have their own NLD, ILD licences.

Meanwhile, the Government has deferred its decision on a proposal to increase Unitech Ltd’s foreign shareholding in Norway telco Telenor to up to 74%.

Telenor had agreed to buy about 67% of Unitech Wireless but the transaction needs government approval.

Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is learnt to have held up the proposal over home ministry’s concerns over security issues. As Telenor has a presence in both Pakistan and Bangladesh the board had asked for more time to study the proposal.

However, the Department of Telecom has give a no objection certificate to the proposal.

Unitech Wireless has licences to provide telecom services in all of the country’s 22 telecom circles, but is yet to start operations.

Telenor bought a 67.25% majority stake from Delhi-based real estate group Unitech in two tranches. It has already completed acquisition of 49% in the company.