No plans to set up independent spectrum regulator: DoT

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has ruled out setting up of an independent regulator to manage spectrum-related issues.

Official sources said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will give recommendations on the issues and the Wireless Planning Council (WPC) will act as the nodal agency to decide on the allotment and the quantum of spectrum to the operators.

However, the DoT, the sources said, would work for strengthening the WPC to empower it legally for monitoring, valuation, pricing, relocation and withdrawal of spectrum to manage the radio waves. If this requires placing the Spectrum Act before Parliament, the DoT will do so, they said.

The WPC is currently responsible for planning, regulating and managing spectrum allocation among various users. It also issues licences for use of radio equipment and ensures that there is no interference on various spectrum users.

But as the requirement of radio spectrum is huge and it is a limited natural resource, the DoT feels that effective and efficient utilisation of radio spectrum is inevitable.

At present, equipment as well as staff at the WPC are not adequate to handle these radio services and do need complete overhauling, the sources said.

Operators are now involved in a battle with DoT over what they call ‘excess spectrum' held by some players. While CDMA operators claim that GSM operators are not entitled to more then 6.2 MHz of spectrum as per the licence conditions, GSM operators say that all their allotments are based on the telecom regulator Trai’s recommendations and existing government policy.

Telecom regulator Trai has been demanding that it be entrusted with the management of radio frequencies across the country, saying the DoT’s way of spectrum management “has not kept pace" with changes in technology.

“Due to cumbersome procedures, lack of automation, non-availability of data bases, lack of networking and unresponsive procedures, the present arrangement and practices of allocating spectrum being followed by WPC is unable to keep pace with the best international standards,” Trai had said in an earlier communication to the government.