DoT to delicence extra WiMax bandwidth

The Department of Telecom (DoT) may delicence an additional 50 MHz bandwidth in the 5.825 GHz -5.875 GHz frequency which can be used for commercial WiFi and WiMax services.

"The department has already delicensed 80 MHz bandwidth in the 2.4 GHz band for outdoor WiFi applications. We are now considering delicensing another 50 MHz band in the 5.82 GHz "" 5.875 GHz frequency for outdoor applications of WiFi as well as WiMax," a DoT official said.

If the WiMax spectrum is allocated to telecom operators, it will help them expand their broadband network, specially in rural areas due to the large network range of WiMax.

And with the government already declaring 2007 as the year of broadband, WiMax will play an important role in broadband expansion in the country. The telecom ministry plans to take the number of broadband subscribers to 20 million by 2010 from the current 3 million.

BSNL has started installing the WiMax equipment in Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune and four rural districts in Haryana. The installation process is expected to be over by January.

MTNL has set up two towers in Delhi for WiMax services and is working out the formalities of installing the required equipment. The state-owned telecom company is also planning to offer WiMax services on its mobile platform.

Telecom operators will get a total of 130 MHz for WiMax and WiFi services. On an average, a telecom operator requires about 20 MHz bandwidth to start a WiMax service.

MTNL may even consider contiguous spectrum below 5.875 GHz for delicensing when the spectrum gets vacated. Its officials, however, refused to specify a date for delicensing or release of the spectrum for commercial purpose.

T V Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI), has welcomed the move. "The industry requirement could be more than 130 MHz but it is a good beginning," he said.

The delicensing will be in addition to the 400 MHz bandwidth that has been delicensed in the 2.4 GHz, 5.2 GHz and 5.8 GHz band for indoor WiFi applications.

However, bandwidth delicensed for indoor applications cannot be used by private telecom operators, as they have low signal. It is meant for in-house usage in companies.