8:15 AM -- The latest report on India's planned auction of 3G spectrum is not encouraging for the country's private operators, including Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Mumbai: BHARTIARTL), Reliance Communications Ltd. , Tata Teleservices Ltd. , and Vodafone India .

The Economic Times suggests that only three, instead of four, operators will come out of the auction with 3G spectrum, and that they will be able to use it from early September 2010. The newspaper suggests the auction will be held on February 12.

Meanwhile, the country's two state-owned operators, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) , have been offering their 3G services, using spectrum assigned to them in late 2008, for more than a year. (See MTNL Launches 3G and BSNL Does 3G With Ericsson.)

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading