Indian telecom regulator TRAI has sought more inputs from DoT on 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz spectrum pricing.
The response – which is available on TRAI website — to DoT signed by TRAI secretary Sudhir Gupta follows DoT letter to the regulator seeking a pricing recommendation on 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz spectrum bands.
TRAI in its letter to DoT said it cannot offer final recommendations on these three spectrum bands due to several obvious issues.
2100 MHz band
The WPC wing of DoT has informed that at present there’s no vacant spectrum is available with the DoT in 2100 MHz band and discussions with Defense are underway for release of one block of 5 MHz of spectrum.
TRAI wants DoT to clarify whether discussions with Defense to release one block of 5 MHz is for the same block which has been already auctioned in five out of 22 LSAs or the discussion would result in release of one more block of spectrum, thus, making two blocks of spectrum available for spectrum auction.
TRAI had recommended that entire 2X60 MHz in the 2100 MHz band should be made available for commercial use. If required, Defense may be assigned spectrum in the 1900 MHz band. TRAI wants DoT to keep vacant 3G slots for auction along with the spectrum in 900 and 1800 MHz bands.
The telecom regulator said it will not be in a position to go ahead with the consultation process in the absence of full information with regard to total availability of the spectrum in the 2100 MHz band.
2300 MHz band
The Government sold two blocks of 2300 MHz across 22 services areas through the auction in June 2010. TRAI says telecom operators have not done any worthwhile roll of services out after four and half years of assignment of spectrum. TRAI believes that there may be less demand for this spectrum at this point of time considering the earlier response from telecoms.
TRAI also wants DoT’s intervention on interference issues in asynchronous networks in 10 service areas, where the guard band available between the spectrum assigned to different BWA spectrum holders is 2.5 MHz.
2500 MHz band
TRAI said the 2500 MHz band is important because it provides a substantial amount of spectrum (190 MHz) that has been allocated on a primary basis in all three ITU regions for terrestrial mobile communication. TRAI wants DoT to decide on harmonization of this band which is pending for an inordinately long time.
700 MHz/800 MHz spectrum band
TRAI wants the telecom department to announce the roadmap for auction of 700 MHz band before conduct of the upcoming auctions. The DoT may decide whether it wants to go ahead with the auction of spectrum in 2500 MHz band before conducting the auction in 700 MHz band.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
