Spectrum woes loom large over metro operators

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has estimated that over the next two years telephone operators in the four metros will require twice the spectrum available to them at present if they are to keep pace with growth in subscriber base.

The metros "" Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai "" account for about a quarter of the country's mobile base of 71.5 million. Trai has estimated that if the country meets its target of 200 million mobile subscribers by 2007, a fifth of the users will be from these four cities.

According to the regulator's projections, Delhi will be the worst hit as GSM service providers will need up to 200 per cent more spectrum than the present level over the next two years.

This implies that GSM operators in Delhi, who have a combined spectral allocation of 32.40 Mhz, will require an additional allocation of up to 64.60 Mhz

Similarly, CDMA operators are projected to require up to 140 per cent more of spectrum. At present, CDMA operators have 12.50 Mhz spectrum and are likely to require another 17.50 Mhz over the next two years. Trai has projected that Delhi will have 14.5 million mobile subscribers by 2007, against a little over 6 million at present.

In Mumbai, GSM operators would need up to 134 per cent more spectrum than the current allocation of 34.20 Mhz, while in Kolkata and Chennai the additional need could increase to a maximum of 93.61 per cent and 34 per cent respectively above the current levels, the regulator said.

In CDMA space, Mumbai needed a maximum of 67 per cent and Kolkata 125 per cent and Chennai might need additional spectrum of 44 per cent from the existing allocation.

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TELE TALE

• If India meets its target of 200 million mobile users by 2007, a fifth of the users will be from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai
  
  
• Telephone operators in the metros would need twice the spectrum available to them at present
  
  
• Delhi would be worst hit as GSM service providers would need up to 200 per cent more spectrum
  
  
• Delhi's CDMA operators will require up to 140 per cent more spectrum