GSM players not against competition: COAI

The GSM operators are not against competition in the Indian telecom sector, even though they are concerned about the limited availability of spectrum.

In a letter to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said that it was deeply concerned at the misinformation being spread in the market on the GSM industry's stance on competition.

COAI is a the apex body of the GSM operators "� including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular and Spice Telecom - in the country.

According to TV Ramachandran, COAI director general, the GSM industry had always welcomed "open and healthy competition on a level playing field", which is beneficial for consumer and the industry.

"The Indian GSM industry had cut its teeth and thrived in one of the most intensely competitive markets in the world, and given the fact that there were already up to 8 operators in every service area, it was highly unlikely that the introduction of a ninth or tenth player would unduly concern us from the point of view of extent of competition."

However, the limited availability of spectrum was a concern, he said.

The letter also stated that both policy and regulation mandated that once a licence has been granted to offer wireless services, the licensee must be assured of adequate and optimal bandwidth to maintain proper and necessary quality of standards (QoS).

COAI also stated that the final decision on the number of players in a service area was a government decision.