Vodafone warns Kapil Sibal against implementing Trai advice on refarming

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The Indian arm of Vodafone Group has warned telecoms minister Kapil Sibal against implementing sector regulator Trai's recommendations on refarming - redistribution of airwaves in the 900 MHz band largely held by incumbents and substituting it with frequencies in the 1800 MHz band - when licenses of mobile phone companies come up for renewal beginning 2014.

Vodafone said that extension of licenses with a different type and quantum of spectrum was legally flawed and added that mobile permits were already technology neutral.

"The potential change in use of spectrum cannot be the trigger for refarming because technology neutrality is already built to policy and licensing framework," the company said in its communication to Sibal.

The telco also accused Trai of coming out with its recommendations on refarming without considering its impact on mobile customers, public policy objectives, rural telephony, green telecom objectives and sustainability of the industry.