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New telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has promised decisions in his first 100 days on many long-pending policy issues.
His 100-day agenda says the ministry will issue the much-awaited guidelines for sharing of spectrum between operators across different bands. Also, seek final approval from the cabinet to permit trading of spectrum to ensure optimum utilisation of the scarce natural resource. And, a clear schedule for auction of different spectrum bands — 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz. This would enable companies to plan their investments in advance, it added.
There’s more.Operators with already allocated spectrum will get their airwaves harmonised so that they have contiguous spectrum for efficient usage. Orasad also plans, in these 100 days, to implement the graded penalty structure already approved by the earlier government, as desired by industry for a long while.
Meanwhile, the department of telecommunications (DoT) is waiting for the Telecom Regulatory Authority (Trai) recommendations on spectrum sharing. Last week, the Telecom Commission (TC) was scheduled to discuss the matter but it was deferred as Trai had said it would soon give its recommendations on these. Beside allowing better use of the scarce resource, it would be helpful for smaller operators to monetise their holding. It is learnt the government will explore whether to allow sharing among operators with spectrum in the 2,100-MHz band.
A decision on what operators will need to pay as spectrum usage charge after sharing of radio waves among themselves is also required. DoT had earlier suggested in the draft guidelines for spectrum sharing that operators having third-generation (3G) spectrum licences not be permitted to share among themselves. And, that permission for sharing be given for five years, extendable for five more years.
The 100-day agenda also includes announcements on key issues such as a Telecom Security Policy and National Broadband Policy. Nationwide number portability, allowing customers to retain their number even if they relocate from one telecom circle to another, is also in the agenda.
Last week, the TC gave in-principle approval to full portability but sought clarifications from Trai on some issues such as enhancement of entry fee, performance bank guarantee and financial bank guarantee.
Implementation of a National Optical Fibre Network and of a government user network on it, setting up mobile services in Naxal-hit areas and villages not covered are on the agenda. Decisions on these at different stages of discussion; some have been so for years.
