BENGALURU, India — Long-delayed 3G services may finally be coming to India with the scheduled release of government guidelines at the end of June.

India's Ministry of Telecommunications said Thursday (June 12) it is preparing to roll out 3G guidelines after years of delay. Wireless operators such as AT&T and Etihad Etisalat have been waiting anxiously to enter India's fast-growing and profitable 3G market.

A. Raja, India's minister for telecommunications, said ministry officials have put the final touches on financial and technical details of India's 3G launch. Raja added that the planned guidelines will cover spectrum licensing and whether overseas companies will be allowed to participate in spectrum auctions.

"The guidelines for 3G, for spectrum auction as well as on participation of players will come out this month," Raja said.

Observers here note, however, that government officials have made similar promises over the past two years that were not kept.

In April, India's Telecom Regulatory Authority recommended that only existing service providers would be allowed to offer 3G services. The agency said there are enough existing carriers in each region that would be able to quickly roll out services.