Spectrum Audit and Spectrum Pooling and Sharing under consideration: Milind Deora

A week long meeting of Working Party 5D (WP5D) of ITU-Radio sector on issues relating to International Mobile Telecommunication(IMT) has got underway in Goa. Addressing the delegates yesterday Milind Deora, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology said that India is taking all necessary steps to maximize use of spectrum for mobile and broadband services in the country. Speaking about the regulatory provisions, he mentioned that spectrum could be considered for delicensing for certain technical parameters which shall not cause interference to existing usages in the band. In this connection, use of white spaces in the broadcasting bands are being considered for delicensing of the same for limited technical parameters, he added. Spectrum audit and spectrum pooling, and sharing are also being considered for optimal and efficient use of spectrum. Government of India in its draft National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011 has indicated enabling of Spectrum Act which will provide more teeth to Spectrum Management Authority to deal with refarming and withdrawal of allotted spectrum, cancellation and revocation of spectrum licenses.

Deora also mentioned that India has established an Institute of Advanced Spectrum Engineering and Management Studies (IARSEMS) for undertaking research and studies on radio spectrum engineering management and radio monitoring to enhance use of spectrum for commercial and strategic usages by private and Government sectors in the country.

Sadhana Dikshit, Member, Telecom Commission in her speech, in the inaugural session, mentioned about the role of WP5D which deals with studies and evaluation of the various technologies, standards and also assesses spectrum requirements for mobile systems including International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) and IMT advanced systems including 4G.

Dikshit said that India has registered phenomenal growth in the mobile sector and today India's telephone network with 893 million phones of which 858 million are wireless, is the second largest in the world. Over time a series of economic reforms introduced in the country and an enabling policy and regulatory framework have made the telecom sector, the fastest growing sector of the Indian economy. She further mentioned that telecommunications have been playing an ever increasing role in the socio-economic development of countries as the Radiocommunication is a most important pillar in the modern era with more and more dependence on mobility, convergence and information. The Radiocommunications are changing the way how people live and the way societies organize themselves, thanks to mobile telephony, mobile internet access, satellite television and satellite Radionavigation, which are able to connect virtually everybody in the World, to provide instant access to information and to deliver a wealth of new important applications.

Dr. Ashok Chandra, Wireless Advisor to the Government of India, while welcoming the delegates/participants mentioned about initiatives taken by the Government of India including promulgation of National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP-2011) and salient features of draft New Telecom Policy-2011 relating to the IMT applications.