‘Spectrum allocation to BSNL unfair’

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Oct. 9 GSM mobile operators on Tuesday told the Government that it was unfair to allocate additional spectrum to State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd even as a number of private operators have been waiting for radio frequency.

DoT had earlier allocated up to 10 Mhz spectrum to BSNL in 16 circles.

“We verily believe that in many cases, the allotment has been made out of turn and BSNL has been allotted spectrum preferentially over an eligible and entitled GSM operator already in the queue prior to BSNL. It is submitted that this favoured treatment for one operator completely ignoring the legitimate requirements and demands of the private GSM operators, who have been waiting for months or even years to get allotment of spectrum as per the Government’s own publicly notified spectrum allotment criteria, is a serious violation of our legal and contractual rights,” the Cellular Operators Association of India said in a letter to the Department of Telecom.

COAI also pointed out that the spectrum given to BSNL was also against the subscriber based allocation criteria as the State-owned company has not reached the prescribed user base to be eligible for additional frequency in some of the circles.

COAI said that it was important to ensure that level playing field with BSNL is restored immediately and all outstanding applications from existing private operators for spectrum be cleared.

GSM cos oppose bias towards BSNL

New Delhi, Oct. 9: The private GSM operators have cried foul over state-owned GSM player BSNL being allegedly allocated spectrum up to 10 MHz in almost all circles. "A closer look at the BSNL subscriber number on the date the spectrum was earmarked for the company makes it evident that in several cases these allotments have been made in clear violation of the existing subscriber linked spectrum allotment criteria. The allotment has been made out of turn and BSNL has been allotted spectrum preferentially over an eligible and entitled GSM operator already in queue prior to BSNL," Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said in a letter to telecom secretary D.S Mathur.

COAI said that such preferential allotment of spectrum to public sector telecom company BSNL was a clear violation of the contractual and legal rights of the private GSM operators.  The COAI said that it was necessary for the telecom department (DoT) to immediately restore level-playing field and allot up to 10 MHz spectrum to all eligible and entitled GSM applicants who had been waiting for months or even years in the queue for initial or additional spectrum allotments.

Despite serving a legal notice upon the government to allot initial or additional spectrum to the private GSM players as per the eligibility criteria, no response has yet been received from DoT, said COAI. COAI said the ongoing review of the subscriber allocation criteria by Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) appeared to be focused only on the GSM industry and that no separate exercise was being done for the CDMA operators.

"Even though it had time and again been noted by Trai that CDMA operators had adequate surplus capacity in their existing allotments," COAI alleged in the letter.  The GSM body said that it was necessary that separate TEC analysis also be done for spectrum use by CDMA operators applying the same assumptions like criteria, inter-site distances and use of various spectrum optimisation techniques.

Operators such as Idea Cellular have got licence to offer mobile services in Mumbai in 2006 but have not yet received spectrum.

Source:- The Hindu Business Line

Source: Deccan chronicle

IT sector needs definite policy

Special Correspondent

“Investments worth millions lost to China, East Europe, Asia Pacific nations”

— Photo: K. Pichumani

A LIGHTER MOMENT: N.Lakshmi Narayanan, Cognizant vice-chairman, and chairman, Nasscom, with Indra Subramaniam, at a meeting of the Rotary Club Madras, in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) on Tuesday urged the Centre to come out with a definite plan for the next three to five years to tackle vital issues such as rupee appreciation, taxation and subsidies so that the country can attain a dominant position in Information Technology and IT-Enabled Services.

Speaking on “Innovation as the key to growth for the IT & ITES industry,” organised by the Rotary Club of Madras, Nasscom chairman and Cognizant vice-chairman N. Lakshmi Narayanan said that as the Centre did not adopt a clear stance, “we have lost tens of millions of investment in the last six months to China, East European and Asia Pacific countries.”

Mr. Lakshmi Narayanan said the companies were not in a position to charge more to offset the effect of the rising rupee as India was not a dominant player. “Other countries are providing subsidies, and this prevented us from becoming a dominant force. Providing subsidy is not the only way to attain a dominant position. But, if other countries are doing it, we have to follow them. It might take another two-three years for us to achieve the dominant position after which we can dictate terms.”

He said many countries were not investing in India because there was no clear-cut taxation, and this issue had to be sorted out. Incentives should be given to industries to tackle the rupee appreciation. China had created an India-specific zone to attract more investment.

Mr. Lakshmi Narayanan urged the youngsters not to be afraid of failure but to keep trying out new things to achieve success.

“Those in Silicon Valley succeeded owing to their tolerance of failure.”

“India has the great opportunity, talent pool and young mind. The young minds are ready to explore even things considered impossible by seniors… The Nasscom, through its Innovative Forum, will urge the entrepreneurs to take more risk and try new things,” he said.

Source: The Hindu

Telecom News dated 10-10-2007