Spectrum trading norms to be notified soon: Telecom Secretary

The government will soon notify spectrum sharing and trading guidelines, which may change the landscape of telecom industry in India.

While spectrum sharing guidelines will be out in a few days and trading norms will be out by the month-end, the department of telecommunications (DoT) Secretary Rakesh Garg said. 

The norms will enable telecom operators to utilise their spectrum efficiently, besides ushering in an era of consolidation. 

"The government had decided two years back that spectrum sharing and trading will be allowed but even then guidelines were not issued for almost 2 years... now Cabinet has taken a decision for the both," Garg said. 

 

On August 12, the government approved sharing guidelines that provide operators an alternative to share their unused spectrum with other players.

Once these guidelines are notified, telecom operators will be able to share their spectrum holding that will help them in decongesting their networks and provide quality phone call services. 

Spectrum trading is an alternative for operators to acquire more spectrum. In this case, a telecom operator can sell its right to use spectrum to another mobile service provider, which is not allowed under spectrum sharing rules.