Mobile Services provider

Telecom Services provider as Telenor and Etisalat may be able to make a comeback even if they do not getting spectrum during the forthcoming licensee auctions. The Planning Commission has suggested that a mechanism should be put in place whereby companies without spectrum should be able to utilise unused airwaves belonging to licensed operators. Called dynamic spectrum access, the technology determines locally unused spectrum in real time and then makes it available for re-use by another operator. For example, if Airtel has 10 Mhz of spectrum in Delhi and part of this is not being used during off-peak hours, then it can allow another player to utilise this for a fee. “I understand that modern cognitive radio technologies now available make it possible for service providers other than the Telecom licensee, to utilise those parts of the spectrum currently unutilised by the customers of the licensee,” Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of Country, He added in a note to the Telecom Ministry.

He added that this mechanism ensures efficient utilization of a scarce resource and it would also improve the value of spectrum in the auction. “Some mechanism can be devised wherein such usage can be paid for,” Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia said in his note. For implementing this proposal, the Telecom Ministry will have to shift its position on spectrum sharing. At present it is in favour of allowing spectrum sharing between two licensed operators who have airwaves in the same circle. The Planning Commission's view is that even operators without spectrum in a circle should be allowed to take bandwidth from those who have. According to Government sources, Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia has discussed this with the Secretary of the Department of Telecom. “The the Department of Telecom is looking at this suggestion because it is in line with the new telecom policy objectives. But details of this will have to be spelt out ahead of the 2G auction for the benefit of the bidders,” He added a top the Department of Telecom official.