Trai releases consultation paper on microwave carriers

Telecom regulator Trai has released a consultation paper on the pricing and allocation of microwave in access and backbone networks.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) had asked the Trai to furnish recommendations for allocation and pricing of microwave access (MWA) and microwave backbone (MWB) radio frequency carriers, the regulator said.
Microwave technology is widely deployed by operators to provide point-to-point radio frequency links in mobile networks.
Microwave carriers in the frequency bands of 10 GHz and beyond are called MWA carriers and below 10 GHz are called MWB carriers.
All voice and data signals - conversations, SMSs, video downloads -travel through the backhaul network.

The requirement of mobile backhaul capacity is anticipated to grow significantly due to the increasing use of newer multimedia and other data centric applications being provided through the deployment of third and fourth generation, Trai said in the paper.

The Trai has sought comments from stakeholders on issues such as number of microwave carriers need to be assigned to telecom operators in case of 2G, 3G and BWA technologies, preferred mechanism of assignment of the carriers, like administrative mechanism or through auction.
It has also sought comments on the criteria for allocation of additional carriers and pricing mechanism.
Stakeholders are required to send their comments by April 21 and counter comments by April 28.