The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is learnt to have told the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) last year that it will cancel the contract with Devas Multimedia if there was any violation of norms. The DoT, in turn, had informed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) of ISRO's position after the telecom regulator had started an enquiry on its own.

“The TRAI had suo motu written to the DoT last year on the ISRO-Devas contract to know how spectrum in the 2500 Mhz band was being used. The DoT in its response to TRAI mentioned that ISRO has given its assurance that the contract will be cancelled,” a senior TRAI official told Business Line on condition of anonymity.

Monitoring use

Though ISRO does not come under the DoT or TRAI, spectrum usage by all Government agencies is monitored by them. The Department of Space has been given 150 Mhz of spectrum in the 2500 Mhz band. Of this, Devas Multimedia would get access to 70 Mhz along with the transponders it has leased on two new satellites to be launched by ISRO. The pact between Devas and ISRO arm Antrix was signed in 2005.

The DoT officials added that the Department of Space (DoS) had objected to when the Government had asked it to give up some part of the 2500 Mhz band for auctioning to private mobile operators in 2010. DoS had objected to it on grounds that the spectrum was required for strategic purposes.

The DoS had also said that it could result in interference with its satellite projects. Only one slot of 20 Mhz was given to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for Rs 12,847 crore. On the other hand, Devas would get access to 70 Mhz for just over Rs 1,000 crore.

TRAI has given its recommendations to the DoT that all spectrum allocated to various Government agencies, including Defence and Space, should be monitored effectively to see what the air waves are being used for.

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