The Hindu Business Line : Reserve 1900 Mhz for 3G, says GSMA

Mr Tom Phillips, Chief Government Relations & Regulatory officer, GSMA, with Mr Richard Tavares, Senior Vice-President for Public Policy, GSMA, at a news conference in the Capital on Friday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Oct. 1

THE GSM Association (GSMA) has said that India may miss the global third generation (3G) mobile services if the Government allocates the 1900 Mhz spectrum band to CDMA players.

GSMA, a global body of 650 GSM-based telecom operators, said that worldwide, the 1900 Mhz band was reserved for 3G services.

Speaking to newspersons Mr Tom Philips, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA, said: ``India must not break ranks with the global practice by allocating the IMT-2000 band spectrum to CDMA players for mobile services, as this core band is reserved only for 3G services."

He added: "The Government needs to safeguard its 3G future and the TRAI's consultation paper seeking to use IMT 2000 for CDMA players for mobile services would isolate India from global 3G.''

3G mobile services would allow high-speed data like streaming video and are touted to be a moneyspinner for mobile operators.

Mr Philips said that GSMA does not agree with the CDMA players' views that they can co-exist in that band.

According to him, it will create serious interference and disturbance and any deployment of filters to prevent such interference will raise the cost of the 3G services substantially.

Mr Philips also met the TRAI Chairman, Mr Pradip Baijal, today to convey GSMA's views.

Reacting to GSMA's views, Mr S.C. Khanna, General Secretary, Association of Unified Service Providers of India (AUSPI), said: "The GSM lobby is making false statement just to quash competition from CDMA operators. The key requirement in this rapidly developing sector is that of flexibility to implement any of the frequency bands as per requirement. The GSM lobby is undertaking a blatant attack on the growth of CDMA operators."

AUSPI represents CDMA-based operators like Reliance Infocomm and Tata Teleservices.

GSM and CDMA operators have been involved in a fierce battle over the allocation of 1900 Mhz band.

GSM operators want it to be reserved for 3G services, while CDMA players have demanded a part of the band for their use.