The Hindu Business Line : New model for assessing spectrum usage planned

TEC recommendations
Efficiency should be measured in by dividing a city into five regions.
Conceptual computational model may be developed and used for assessing spectral utilisation.
Another strategy is to encourage fixed mobile convergence.

Thomas K. Thomas

New Delhi, Sept. 20 In a bid to assess efficient spectrum usage by mobile operators, the Department of Telecom is considering developing a new model called Computational Model for Spectral Utilisation (COMSUE). It is not just based on subscriber base of the operator but also considers other variables such as geography, usage pattern and technology in each city or village.

The concept paper developed by the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC), technical wing of DoT, is at the initial discussion stage. With spectrum being a scarce resource, TEC has been mandated to find an optimum solution that would improve spectrum utilisation.

Spectral efficiency is the amount of traffic an operator can carry for a given spectrum. At present, spectrum is allocated to an operator based on the number of subscribers.

A recent recommendation given by the telecom regulator has proposed to continue with this formula though it has prescribed a higher number of subscribers.

The TEC concept paper, however, points out that traffic density generated in different areas of network will be different as it will depend on distribution of subscribers, usage pattern in these areas, type of mobility (fixed, pedestrian, and vehicular) and the technology itself.

The paper also suggests that instead of applying the same yardstick for an entire State, spectrum efficiency should be measured in by dividing a city into five regions – dense urban, urban, sub urban, rural, and uninhabited areas.

“Conceptual computational model may be developed and used for assessing spectral utilisation and its abbreviated name may be COMSUE. The traffic pattern is not uniform in a city or service area. Therefore the coverage area needs to be classified into various types of regions,” the TEC concept note said. In order to improve the utilisation of already allocated radio frequency, DoT is also considering a proposal to allow operators to share spectrum within a building.

TRAI’s survey

As per TRAI’s survey, 60 per cent of all mobile calls are made when subscribers are within a building. “Sharing spectrum in the traffic hot spots i.e. in-building is a major technical possibility of optimal utilisation of spectrum. This can provide an excellent growth path to all the service providers and will result in fullest exploitation of spectrum potential in major traffic concentrations i.e. in-door, if suitable arrangement of sharing is evolved,” said a study paper from TEC.

The paper has also pointed out that another strategy is to encourage fixed mobile convergence, wherein operators use unlicensed spectrum such as Wi-Fi inside buildings, allowing cellular radio frequency to be used when the subscriber is moving. DoT officials said these proposals were only a concept note at this stage and will be finalised after taking stakeholder’s view.

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