Spectrum: Subscriber norm may be ‘ad hoc arrangement’
Our
Bureau
The officials, however, ruled out
the option of auctioning spectrum for 2G services as the Solicitor General of
India is understood to have informally advised the Ministry of Communications
against it as the government was under contractual obligation to allocate
spectrum to those companies given licences in
December 2006. Idea Cellular, Aircel, Spice and
Vodafone Essar are among those which have already
paid the licence fee for various circles and are
awaiting spectrum to commence services.
The officials also said that
contrary to the apprehensions of the existing players, there was no shortage of
spectrum.
No
shortage
“DoT has
earmarked 100 Mhz for 2G mobile services. Even with
the existing efficiency of spectrum usage, operators can easily provide
services to about 750 million subscribers. It will take about 6 years before 2G
spectrum gets saturated,” they said. DoT has called
for an industry meeting on November 21 in a bid to arrive at a compromise on
the spectrum allocation criteria.
One of the proposals mooted by the
industry is to shelve the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority
of India (TRAI) for existing players and set up a new expert committee. In the
interim, DoT may reduce the subscriber base required
by existing GSM operators for additional spectrum 50 per cent of what the TRAI
had recommended provided they withdraw their opposition to allow dual
technology to Reliance Communications.
Source:
The Business Line
Telecom
News dated 20-11-2007