The Hindu Business Line : DoT to create user-specific frequency bands

New Delhi June 16 In a bid to resolve the spectrum conundrum once and for all, the Government is all set to earmark specific frequency bands for the various users of airwaves. The Group of Ministers under the Minister of External Affairs, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, is expected to meet next week to work out the modalities of this long-term plan.

Apart from mobile operators, spectrum is used by the defence forces, broadcasting companies, Railways and utility companies for internal communication purposes. Currently, spectrum is being allocated in an ad-hoc manner wherever there is capacity available.

"The GoM's mandate is not just to ensure vacation of spectrum for immediate usage. It is also going to work out the modalities to implement a plan that is similar to the standards set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which has prescribed specific frequencies for specific type of services.

Shortage

"The current shortage has arisen because over a period of time we have allocated spectrum in different bands, depending on the need of the situation and perhaps one did not realise that one would require spectrum in a very cogent manner. Now we are having a situation where different radio frequency bands are being occupied by different people," said a senior official in Department of Telecom.

The move will enable DoT to release adequate spectrum for mobile operators, which in turn will result in improving the quality of service.

In developed countries they have systems in such a way that it did not interfere with the needs of divergent users.

Currently, mobile operators in the country use the 1800 Mhz, 800 Mhz and the 900 Mhz band for offering services. These frequency bands are also being used by the defence agency, which is making it difficult for DoT to release additional spectrum in the same band for mobile usage.

Separate bands

Similarly, the broadcasters and space organisation have also been given frequency in bands, which are meant for mobile communication.

As per DoT's plan these agencies, including the defence will be given separate frequency bands and also the money to relocate their equipment in the new bands.

While mobile operators are getting a maximum of 15 Mhz, according to estimates made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the Government will have to make available a minimum of additional 28 Mhz spectrum for a city like Delhi going by the growth in subscriber base.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT has also rapped the DoT for delay in formulating spectrum policy. In its thirty-sixth report the committee said that once such service specific band is formed, the waiting period for allotment of frequencies would reduce considerably as there would be no need for continuous coordination, vacation and migration.