The Indian government will announce full details of Phase III of private radio licencing next month.

Information & Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari gave the timeline at a broadcast industry conference in New Delhi on Friday.

The move will see 839 FM frequencies in 227 cities auctioned by the ascending-bid method.

Phase III was due to be launched in 2011 but was delayed over concerns about foreign ownership, the provision of news output and plurality of services.

It had been feared the Indian government would delay the roll out until after next year’s general election.

Tewari said there was still no firm date for the auction at present but reaffirmed that there was “no hurdle” preventing it taking place.

Last month, India’s communications regulator TRAI recommended that a limit on foreign direct investment in private FM radio be raised from 26 to 49 percent for Phase III.