HISTORY OF MOBILE PHONES IN INDIA

A report of Cellular Operators Authority of India regarding the entry of cell
phones into India is listed below.  This shows the improvement in cell phone
introduction over the years.
1992 – Telecommunication sector in India was liberalized to bridge the gap through
government spending and to provide additional resources for the nation‘s
telecom target.  Private sector was allowed participation.
1993 – The telecom industry got an annual foreign investment Rs. 20.6 millions.
1994 – License for providing cell phone services was granted by the government of
India for the metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.  Cell
phone service became duopoly (i.e. Not more than two cell phone  operators
could be licensed in each telecom circle) under a fixed license fee regime for
10 years.
1995 – 19 more telecom circles got mobile licences
1995 – (August) Kolkata became the first metro with a cell phone network.1997- TRAI was set up.
1998 – Annual foreign investment in telecom stood at Rs. 17,756.4 millions.
1999- FDI inflow into telecom sector fell by almost 90 per cent to Rs. 2126.7
millions.
1999 – Tariff rebalancing exercise got initiated.
1999 (March) – National Telecom Policy was announced.
2000 (June) – FDI inflow dropped further down to Rs. 918 millions.
2000 (Jan) – Amendment of TRAI Act.
Source:  Cellular Operators Authority of India (COAI)