Backhaul spectrum policy to be finalised this year: Telecom secretary

NEW DELHI: In a first, the Department of Telecom (DoT) will finalise this year a comprehensive policy on backhaul spectrum or airwave that connects mobile towers with each other.

The policy for backhaul spectrum, the work on which will start shortly, will spell out aspects like spectrum bands to be used for the purpose, system of allocation of such airwaves and spectrum pricing. The backhaul spectrum works on higher frequency bands — between 3GHz and 70 GHz.

“We have done most of the reforms with regard to access spectrum, which is the spectrum between the consumer and mobile towers. But on backhaul spectrum, which connects the mobile towers amongst themselves, there are areas like what spectrum should be used, how should the spectrum be allocated... those are the policy features we would like to work on, this year,” Telecom Secretary JS Deepak said.

Stating that the backhaul spectrum is as important as access spectrum, Deepak said any “clogging” in the backhaul would mean that a call would not be completed. “It has never been done before.

It is a pioneering area because for this spectrum so far, its use has not been determined through a policy,” he said. Asked if DoT would have to refer the policy to regulator TRAI for its views, Deepak said, “No, this decision pertains to the Telecom Commission.”

The DoT undertook a slew of reforms in 2016 aimed at facilitating the ease of doing business. This included formulating the Right of Way rules for faster network roll-out, spectrum harmonisation and increasing availability of spectrum through auction and introduction of Aadhaar-based eKYC for new mobile connections.

The backhaul spectrum policy will address areas like users, bands, system of allocation, and pricing, he said.