Policy norms only after TEC report: Raja
The government will also not allocate any spectrum to existing operators, licence holders and new applicants before the TEC submits its report, he said.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Telecom Minister A Raja on Wednesday said that the new spectrum allocation norms announced last week were not final and added that the government will implement the new policy only after a scientific evaluation by the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC).
The government will also not allocate any spectrum to existing operators, licence holders and new applicants before the TEC submits its report, he said. The TEC, which is the technical arm of the DoT, will submit its report on October 30.
Last week, the DoT had announced that the current subscriber-linked spectrum allocation norms were being enhanced. This means that the existing operators would have to increase their subscriber base between two-six times before they are granted additional spectrum, a process that is likely to take 18-48 months. GSM operators have already moved the telecom tribunal challenging these norms.
“Till the report from the Telecom Engineering Centre arrives, no spectrum will be allotted,” Mr Raja told reporters. Asked on the fate of the 550 plus recent applicants waiting for fresh telecom licences, Mr Raja said DoT had referred the matter to the law ministry to get the solicitor general’s views on this issue. “There is scarcity of spectrum. The number of new applicants are more than the number that can be accommodated. The new applications must be synchronised by a legal process,” Mr Raja said.
On the allegations of the GSM operators that the DoT had acted in haste to permit the use of dual technology (using both GSM and CDMA services under the same licence), to favour one operator, Mr Raja said, “After receiving the recommendations on this issue from TRAI, the matter was referred to the Telecom Commission.
The Commission had accepted Trai’s recommendations on the use of dual technologies under the same licence. The issue of enhancing the subscriber-linked criteria has been referred to TEC for further evaluation. The new policy did not favour any operator, he added.
The government will also not allocate any spectrum to existing operators, licence holders and new applicants before the TEC submits its report, he said. The TEC, which is the technical arm of the DoT, will submit its report on October 30.
Last week, the DoT had announced that the current subscriber-linked spectrum allocation norms were being enhanced. This means that the existing operators would have to increase their subscriber base between two-six times before they are granted additional spectrum, a process that is likely to take 18-48 months. GSM operators have already moved the telecom tribunal challenging these norms.
“Till the report from the Telecom Engineering Centre arrives, no spectrum will be allotted,” Mr Raja told reporters. Asked on the fate of the 550 plus recent applicants waiting for fresh telecom licences, Mr Raja said DoT had referred the matter to the law ministry to get the solicitor general’s views on this issue. “There is scarcity of spectrum. The number of new applicants are more than the number that can be accommodated. The new applications must be synchronised by a legal process,” Mr Raja said.
On the allegations of the GSM operators that the DoT had acted in haste to permit the use of dual technology (using both GSM and CDMA services under the same licence), to favour one operator, Mr Raja said, “After receiving the recommendations on this issue from TRAI, the matter was referred to the Telecom Commission.
The Commission had accepted Trai’s recommendations on the use of dual technologies under the same licence. The issue of enhancing the subscriber-linked criteria has been referred to TEC for further evaluation. The new policy did not favour any operator, he added.
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