Telecom service provider Sistema Shyam TeleServices (MTS India) on Thursday said TRAI regulation on 800 MHz spectrum band is blocking its growth in the country.
Earlier, the telecom operator had said its main focus and expansion would be on the 800 MHz spectrum band in India. TRAI regulation, in fact, is blocking MTS India’s eagerness to upgrade its 2G network and launch 3G and LTE.
In a statement, MTS India said it has maintained that it does not agree with the recommendations of TRAI specific to the 800 MHz spectrum band.
The TRAI recommendations have effectively blocked SSTL’s future growth path in India both in terms of expanding within its existing 9 circles and to other circles. The regulator has also not provided any roadmap for MTS to acquire additional spectrum within 800 MHz.
“This is clearly unfair and discriminatory and goes against the spirit of providing a level playing field to India’s only pure play CDMA operator,” MTS India said.
MTS India suggested that the telecom regulator TRAI should stimulate operators to upgrade their networks to next generation mobile networks like 3G and LTE. However the recent TRAI recommendations favor the incumbents running 2G networks.
For TRAI to suggest carving out EGSM band from 800 MHz and open it for use for old GSM 2G networks clearly reflects this thinking.
MTS is keen to upgrade its CDMA network to the next generation (3G, LTE) network. TRAI, however has persistently rejected all such proposals.
Yesterday, MTS India launched its 3GPlus service based on EVDO Rev B phase II technology.
