Spectrum trading norms by month-end, says Telecom Secy

Spectrum sharing will allow mobile operators to better use available airwaves, help in checking call drops

Government will notify spectrum sharing guidelines in a few days while trading rules will be out by the month-end, a top Department of Telecom official said today.

Spectrum sharing and trading guidelines will allow mobile operators to better utilise the available airwaves and will help in checking the call drop issue.

The norms are also likely to push consolidation in the telecom sector.

"The sharing guidelines have been prepared and sent to the minister for final approval and will be issued in a few days, probably by Monday, while the trading guidelines will come by month-end," Telecom Secretary Rakesh Garg said on the sidelines of an CII event here.

He added the issue was hanging for a long time and now has been finally approved.

"The government had decided two years back that spectrum sharing and trading will be allowed but even then guidelines were not issued for almost 2 years... Now Cabinet has taken a decision for the both," Garg said.

The government on August 12 approved sharing guidelines that provide operators an alternative to share their unused spectrum with other players.

Once these guidelines are notified, telecom operators will be able to share their spectrum holding that will help them in decongesting their networks and provide quality phone call services.

Spectrum trading is an alternative for operators to acquire more spectrum. In this case, a telecom operator can sell its right to use spectrum to another mobile service provider, which is not allowed under spectrum sharing rules.