Week Summary

This week we will see Indian regularity bodies for telecommunication and their functions and scop and recent activities taken towards delpoyment of 3G technology. The brief summary of recommendations on spectrum related issues, given by TRAI is mentioned.

TRAI to reassess 3G spectrum issue

In May 2006, Government of India asked the regulator to give fresh recommendations on requirement and pricing of spectrum for the next generation (3G) mobile services.

"We have requested TRAI to look into the spectrum for 3G services... besides Department of Telecom (DoT) has already taken up the matter with Ministry of Defence and we hope to get 45 Mhz of frequency from defence services by the year end," Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran told reporters

The spectrum the Defence is expected to release is in the IMT 2000 band and 1800-1900 Mhz band which is the band for 3G services.

A coordination committee has been set up with members from both the ministries to get the spectrum, he said adding a project worth 10 billion Indian rupees has already been launched for this purpose.
[Source: The Economic Times, Wednesday, May 24, 2006 ]

Accordfing to me the above move taken by Government is turning point towards deployment of 3G technology in India.

Summary of TRAI Spectrum Policy Recommendations

The study on Recommendations on Spectrum Related Issues by TRAI is done and following points are observed which are as follows

• Currently mobile operators in India are having the spectrum ranging from 2 x 4.4 MHz to 2 x 10 MHz for GSM operators and 2 x 2.5 MHz to 2 x 2.5 MHz to 2 x 5 MHz for CDMA operators which is far below the international avaerages for both technology operators.
• The criteria for CDMA operators include additional allocation of spectrum is service area specific which is not the situation in GSM operators. Hence authority recommended for revision of both GSM and CDMA spectrum allocation.
• The approach for IMT-2000 services (3G band) band spectrum allocation should be followed where there is adequate competition and where 2/2.5G spectrum availability has constraint.
• For year 2007 and beyond, entire 1800 MHz and entire IMT-2000 band will have to be allocated to indian mobile operators.
• Due to shortage of 2G spectrum, authority considered allocation of additional spectrum in IMT-2000 band. During discussions with the operators it came out that strategies are possible to shift some users from 2 G bands to IMT-2000 band, thereby creating space for new and marginal users in the existing 2 G bands. Thus, utilization of IMT-2000 band
  could supplement the primary thrust to get more spectrum vacated in the 1800 MHz band already discussed earlier. Keeping these arguments in mind, the Authority recommends that 3G spectrumallocation to the existing operators should be viewed as extension of 2G spectrum allocations.
• The availability of 2 X 5 MHz in IMT-2000 2 GHz band to each existing mobile service provider who demands it, is coordinated within a very short time frame to offer IMT-2000 services.
• In-band equipment for providing 3G services need less infrastructure in comparison services providing at IMT 2000 band for WCDMA. Hence this needs serious attention from spectrum managers and operators point of view.
• TRAI also recommeneded that Government should continue to make efforts for the availability of additional spectrum not only in existing frequency band but also for additional frequency bands which are identified by ITU for mobile services viz. 2500-2690 MHz for IMT 2000 services.

3G Standard in India

3G standard is based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) initiative for a single global wireless standard called International Mobile Telecommunications -2000 (IMT 2000) which stands for third generation wireless technology and network.

The standards considered by TRAI for deployment of 3G services in India are CDMA 1X-EVDO and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System(UMTS))

Department Of Telecommunications (DOT)

The Department of Telecommunications are responsible for policy formulation, licensing, wireless spectrum management, administrative monitoring of PSUs, research and development and standardization/validation of equipment etc

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

Towards deployment of 3G technology, we need to consider regulatory body for telecommunication in India namely The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). TRAI (established 1997) is the independent regulator established by the Government of India to regulate the telecommunications business in India.

Let us see some objectives TRAI fulfils

• One of the main objectives of TRAI is to provide a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition.
• TRAI's mission is to create and nurture conditions for growth of telecommunications in the country in a manner and at a pace which will enable India to play a leading role in emerging global information society
• The directions, orders and regulations issued cover a wide range of subjects including tariff, interconnection and quality of service as well as governance of the Authority