DoT asks Trai to review access provider licence

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has referred the issue of using multiple technologies under a single unified access services licence (UASL) to the Telecom Regulator Authority of India (Trai).

At present, the department allots spectrum depending on the technology, and operators offer services for which the licence has been issued.

For example, if the licence is issued for CDMA services, the operator offers services under this technology. At present, there is no clarity on whether a CDMA operator should go for another licence to offer GSM service, or whether the existing licence will suffice.

With the industry expecting allocation of 1,800 Mhz spectrum soon, a technology that can support both CDMA and GSM services, The DoT's move will remove the ambiguity in the existing UASL.

It would help telecom service providers to offer services using a combination of technologies or bring in newer technologies, analysts said.

According to sources in the DoT, the department has asked Trai to look into the terms and conditions of the access provider licence and review these to enable service providers use the technologies of their choice.

The DoT has also asked the regulator to look into feasibility of using multiple technologies by a single service provider.

The department had issued a total of 150 licences across 23 circles for access services in the country, and currently, there are around five to eight service providers operating in each circle.

Reliance Communications is the only company that offers services using both the CDMA and GSM technologies. The company operates in all 23 circles, of which it provides GSM service in eight circles in the country.

Other operators like Hutchison-Essar (GSM), BPL (GSM), Bharti Airtel (GSM) and Tata Teleservices (CDMA) offer services in one technology.

Trai, if satisfied with the issue, is likely to come up with a paper that will seek the industry's opinion on this, before making its recommendations to the DoT.