Availability of more spectrum will improve mobile services: COAI DG Kochhar

The government's decision to make more spectrum available for mobile telephony will improve services for the common man, industry body COAI said on Friday.

The cabinet has approved refarming of 687 Mhz of spectrum for telecom services which will be made available to the industry in phases by 2028-29.

The "government has accepted the industry's requirement of 2000 Mhz of spectrum for mobile services. They have given us around 400 Mhz of spectrum and the (telecom) minister (Jyotiraditya Scindia) has promised us that this is not the end of it and you will get more. This will improve utilisation and services...to the common man," COAI Director General SP Kochhar said.

Scindia at an event organised by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) shared that the Cabinet has approved the refarming of 687 Mhz spectrum for mobile services and more will be done based on the study by a committee of secretaries put in place by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said initially 320 Mhz will be released, some by the end of next year and more by the end of 2028-29.

The telecom industry has been demanding to make 2000 megahertz of radiowaves available for mobile services in mid-bands, which are frequencies in the range of 1000 Mhz to 6000 Mhz.

Scindia, earlier in the day, said the government will ensure that the requirement of the industry is met and there are no hurdles in the digital telecom landscape of the country.