Telcos lose major chunk of revenue to spectrum and other outflows: COAI

Indian telecom operators hand over close to 35% of their total earnings in spectrum charges and other outflows, the highest such burden than anywhere in the world, according to Lt Gen (Retd) Dr S.P. Kochhar, Director General of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), who wants the government to bring that figure down now that telecom has become critical infrastructure for the economy rather than a standalone business.