Auspi writes to FM, Pitroda

CDMA operators have requested Sam Pitroda, the advisor to the prime minister on information infrastructure, to take immediate steps to identify and auction spectrum for the fourth-generation, or 4G, mobile services, even as the government is struggling with the auction of 3G radiowaves.

The CDMA operators lobby, the Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (Auspi), also wrote a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, saying the winners in 3G auction should be allotted spot frequency for conducting trials before the actual commercial launch.

“The operators who win 3G spectrum should not only be allocated spot frequencies but also allowed to use the frequencies in a limited environment of the test trials till it is allowed for commercial use,” it said.

The association added the trials would be conducted in a limited environment and it would be ensured that no interference is caused to the working defence networks during the trial period. The trial frequencies would help the operators order the equipment on time, as well as to enable them in testing it before the actual launch.

The Cabinet Secretariat has directed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Secretary P J Thomas to look into this letter and take appropriate action.

In a separate letter Auspi wrote to Pitroda, it said: “To ensure we do not lag in respect of 4G technologies, it is humbly suggested that DoT take immediate action for the auction of 4G spectrum.”

The 3G services in India were likely to be available only in 2011–2012 if the spectrum auction was held in August or September. India would, thus, be lagging a large number of countries in the world, it said.

The 3G networks had registered their presence in more than 100 countries, but India was yet to even auction the spectrum. Some parts of the world had even moved to 4G technologies. The commercial networks had been set up in a number of countries like Sweden, Norway, the US and Finland, Auspi said.

The association also objected to the information and broadcasting ministry’s approval to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai’s) recommendations to allow private operators to offer mobile TV services through Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT), saying it was an outdated technology and would lead to wastage of resources.