RCom calls for freeze

Reliance Communications has suggested freezing of any fresh allocation of spectrum until the government reviews the existing subscriber-based criterion for allocation of spectrum.

In a letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), Reliance has contended that "we recommend quick review and the further allocation beyond the contracted spectrum is withheld till revised guidelines are finalised".

In its letter, the company has suggested that the spectrum allocation should promote spectral efficiency and discourage hoarding of the scarce resource and the existing allocation based on the subscriber criterion needs to be reviewed.

Reliance, in its letter, earmarks key reasons why the policy needs to be reviewed. One reason cited is the fact that the current teledensity in the country is only 20 per cent and there is a long way to go. Secondly, there are many technological innovations now available for improving spectral efficiency.

Thirdly, operators in the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai etc are already serving two to three times the subscribers vis-a-vis the prescribed subscribed in the spectrum allocation guidelines.

This has been possible on account of technological innovation that is now available and "there is room to add in more subscribers without additional spectrum".

Fourthly, Reliance has also asked the unravelling of the myth that quality of service (QoS) of operators deteriorates because of shortage in spectrum.

According to the Trai benchmark study on QoS for January-March 2007, all operators in the four metros have met the QoS benchmark on various criteria such as congestion, drop calls, call set up success rates, among others.

As much as 95 per cent of the operators have met their benchmark on QoS. The QoS parameters that needed attention, according to the survey, was the point of interconnect between operators and quality of helpline service, which has nothing to do with spectrum availability.