With a new dispensation in command, telecom companies are jubilant. "It is the brightest thing that has happened in an otherwise gloomy scenario," said a industry player.

Most industry players conceded that though former communication minister Jagmohan was legally correct in his stand, he was not willing to understand the ground realities which had led to unnecessary confrontation between the government and industry.

"He at times took a legalistic view of the whole thing," said a industry player. "The uncertainty is killing," said a chief executive of a multinational company with substantial investments in India. "We are here to serve our customers and generate money for shareholders. With the uncertainty gone, we wouldlike to focus on our business."

Industry players admit that they made mistakes at the beginning of the privatisation process, but rather than finding ways to get out of the mess, government's tough stance hit most operators.

"Given the minister's hard stand, the legal option was the only one available, but with his exit one gets the impression that players would be able to work out solutions to their payment problems in consultation with the Department of Telecommunication," said another player.

Looking beyond the present entanglement in the telecom sector, industry players said the new dispensation has to be seen to be interested in resolving the issues concerning the migration of existing players to the new revenue-sharing regime. "Procrastinations on account of the issue being referred to the Group of Telecom and subsequently leaving the ball at the Attroney General's court has taken a heavy toll on the confidence of the industry," said a industry player.

As a confidence building measure in theprivatisation process, the regulator must be seen to be strong, feel many in the industry.

"This will ensure competition and reassure government's faith in private industry," said a basic service operator. A gazzette notification of the telecom policy would go a long way to reassure the industry of government's intention in implementing the new policy, feel many in the industry. "This would insulate the new policy from political uncertainty, especially with elections around the corner" said a representative from a industry association. "Corporatisation of Department of Telecommunication has to be expedited to ensure transparency in the privatisation process," said another industry player. With cellular and basic players having invested around Rs 14,000 crore in the last few years, it is important that the government shows faith in the private sector, feel many in the industry