The Hindu Business Line : 3G for CDMA users could get delayed

Trials in the 1900 Mhz band is important to know whether or not 3G services by CDMA operators would interfere with the services to be offered by GSM players.

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New Delhi March 4 Third generation services for CDMA-based subscribers could be delayed, with the Government yet to allocate spectrum to operators for conducting trials.

Despite two reminders from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to the Department of Telecom (DoT), the Wireless Planning and Co-ordination wing is yet to allocate radio frequency in 1900 Mhz band for conducting trials for CDMA-based 3G services.

This comes even as the DoT has allocated spectrum for trials to seven GSM-based operators, including Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Hutch, which gives them a headstart.

CDMA players, including Tata Teleservices, are still awaiting clearance to conduct trials. "While DoT has in principle agreed to give spectrum to CDMA operators to conduct trials in 1900 Mhz, operators have been waiting for almost two months now. We are ready to conduct the trials as soon as we get the spectrum," said a CDMA industry representative.

Trials in the 1900 Mhz band is important to know whether or not 3G services by CDMA operators would interfere with the services to be offered by GSM players.

While GSM operators said that allocating spectrum in the 1900 Mhz would create interference, CDMA operators said that they could prove it practically that interference does not occur.

CDMA operators said that there were technical means to cut down the interference, if any.Sources in the DoT said that the Government was aware of the importance of the trials in the 1900 Mhz band and the attempt was to accommodate both technologies.

They said that the spectrum for trials would be given to CDMA operators soon. "We are working on it and though we cannot give a timeline, radio frequency for CDMA operators will be given," said a senior DoT official.