The Hindu Business Line : Row over spectrum allocation — Cell operators' group walks out of TRAI open house

THE Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Monday walked out of an open house discussion organised by the telecom regulator, TRAI, to discuss the controversial issue of spectrum allocation to mobile operators.

COAI, led by its Director General, Mr T. V. Ramachandran, refused to take part in the deliberation alleging that the regulator did not allow it to put forward its views on the matter.

COAI had flown in international experts to express their views in the open house.

The trouble started when the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) stopped cellular operators from making technical observations on radio frequency and instead asked them to make a separate presentation. Mr Ramachandran said, "We have repeatedly sought to include a productive interaction on the US PCS band, as we believe that this discussion is very crucial and a decision on this issue will have a far reaching adverse impact. However, we have been repeatedly denied this opportunity and the authority has instead chosen to confine the discussions on the utilisation of the 450 MHz band only. It is our firm belief that the dangers and pitfalls of the US PCS band should be discussed in an open forum and our views should be heard and understood by all stakeholders."

This is the second time cellular operators have walked out of an open house - the first time was during a discussion on WLL limited mobility, four years ago.

To salvage the situation, TRAI called the cellular operators for a separate meeting in the afternoon to discuss the issue. Though COAI met the regulator, it was not too happy with the move.

"We would like to reiterate our views that such discussions do not meet the statutory requirements of transparency under the TRAI Act and that this issue should have fairly and squarely been discussed at the open house in front of all stakeholders as also required under the TRAI Act. Needless to mention, the above meeting cannot and should not be a substitute for a full public, transparent discussion of this critical issue," COAI said in a letter to the telecom regulator after the walk out. COAI has demanded that the open house discussion be rescheduled.

COAI is locked in a fierce battle with Code Division Multiple Access based operators over frequency allocation. While COAI wants the Government to restrict the 1,900-MHz band for third generation (3G) services, CDMA operators are eyeing the band for their use on the grounds that CDMA equipment was not compatible with 1,800 MHz, the alternate spectrum band proposed for mobile use.