Global telecom body asks DoT to put more spectrum on auction

Global telecom body GSMA has asked the DoT to release more spectrum for the next round of auction while saying that "shortage" of airwaves is a threat to the success of government's Digital India programme.
GSM Association's Director General Anne Bouverot in an open letter with subject matter 'Spectrum Shortage Threatens Digital India Vision', to Telecom Minister, said that mobile broadband will be the backbone of Digital India programme.
"However, ubiquitous mobile communications and broadband services will not become a reality without the availability of sufficient spectrum. In this context, current plans to auction spectrum could have severe consequences for India," Bouverot said.

Most of the airwaves that would be auctioned next year are currently held by Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communication through their various permits that are going to expire in 2015-16.
The permits of companies that are going to expire mostly hold spectrum in 900 megahertz band and 1800 MHz band.
Bouverat supported recommendation of telecom regulator TRAI of putting airwaves from other frequency bands for auction.

"Failure of operators to retain their currently used spectrum would not only jeopardise existing investments, but seriously threaten the continuity of the services provided to citizens across the country," she said.
Unleashing sufficient harmonised spectrum at affordable prices, could see a sharp increased mobile broadband penetration in India, with over 250 million connections on either 3G or 4G networks by 2017, she said.

"The GSMA, on behalf of its member operators, is concerned about the Government's intention to conduct an auction next year in an environment of severe spectrum shortage," Bouverat said.
She added the next round of auction should only be conducted after adequate spectrum is made available in all key 800, 900, 1800 and 2100MHz frequencies.