Trai Seeks More Information on Availability of 3G Spectrum

Telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday sought more information on the availability of 3G spectrum while proposing that vacant 3G slots be put up for the upcoming auction along with the spectrum in 900MHz and 1800MHz bands.

The Department of Telecom on October 16 had sought Trai's recommendations on the reserve price for 2100MHz, 2300MHz and 2500MHz bands for all the service areas.

"Trai will not be in a position to go ahead with the consultation process in the absence of full information with regard to total availability of the spectrum in the 2100MHz band (3G). Therefore, DoT is requested to indicate the decision regarding the above at the earliest," Trai said in a letter to DoT.

The DoT has informed Trai that at present no vacant spectrum is available with it in 2100MHz band and discussions with Defense are underway for release of one block of 5MHz of spectrum. However, in Trai's October 15 recommendations, it is mentioned that the DoT has assigned the fifth block of 5MHz in the 2100MHz band in 5 service areas and in the remaining 17 areas, the spectrum is available with the DoT.

"DoT is requested to clarify whether discussions with Defense to release one block of 5MHz is for the same block which has been already auctioned in five out of 22 LSAs or the discussion would result in release of one more block of spectrum, thus, making two blocks of spectrum available for auction," Trai said.

The Trai had also recommended that entire 2X60MHz in the 2100MHz band should be made available for commercial use.

"If required, Defense may be assigned spectrum in the 1900MHz band (1910-1920/1980-1990MHz). It was further recommended that this matter is of utmost importance, therefore it must be taken up at the highest level and the vacant 3G slots should be put to auction along with the spectrum in 900 and 1800MHz bands," Trai said.

Trai had already recommended the reserve price for 900MHz and 1800MHz bands, the auction for which is scheduled for February 2015.

Regarding 2300MHz band, for which auction was conducted in June 2010 and and two blocks across the 22 service areas were sold, Trai said even after four and half years of assignment of airwaves, no telecom operator has actually done any worthwhile roll-out.

"Therefore, the Authority would like to know if in spite of such poor utilisation of earlier auctioned spectrum even after more than four years, the DoT believes that there will be takers for this spectrum at this point of time," Trai said.