Basic telecom firms seek more frequency

ABTO seeks parity with GSM operators

Private basic operators have said the government has not kept its promise of making available additional radio frequency for CDMA-based mobile operators, despite making them pay Rs 3,000 crore for the unified licence.

The Association of Basic Telecom Operators (ABTO) has written to the department of telecom seeking radio frequency similar to that allocated to GSM-based cellular operators. They have even urged the government to ask GSM operators vacate the 800 MHz band.

Basic operators said the government had promised terms and conditions identical to the fourth cellular licence when they were migrating to the unified access regime.

However, the unified licence discriminates in frequency allocation between GSM and CDMA mobile services.

"While GSM operators get an initial allocation of 4.4 MHz, CDMA operators are restricted to 2.5 MHz," said a basic operator.

Basic operators pointed out that CDMA operators worldwide were allocated frequency between 15 MHz and 20 MHz on average. In India, it has been capped at a mere 5 MHz.

"Operators in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai have already exhausted the frequency allocated to them. Contrary to popular belief, the CDMA technology is only about 1.5 times more efficient than GSM in terms of use of frequency. So if GSM operators are given up to 10 MHz, we should also be given accordingly," said a Delhi-based basic operator.

In what could spark off another battle between cellular and basic operators, the latter has also asked DoT to allocate fresh frequency in the 800 MHz band, which is being currently used by GSM players.

Basic operators said CDMA equipment did not allow them to offer services in a multi-frequency band, while GSM operators were already offering services in the 800 MHz and 1,900 Mhz bands.

Another battle?

• Basic operators have urged the government to ask GSM operators vacate the 800 MHz band

They say the unified licence discriminates in frequency allocation between GSM and CDMA services

GSM operators get an initial allocation of 4.4 MHz, CDMA operators are restricted to 2.5 MHz