DoT accepts subscribers as criterion

The department of telecommunications (DoT) on Friday accepted the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to hike subscriber link criterion for allocation of spectrum to mobile operators. The DoT has set up a committee under the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) to study further allocation of spectrum to telecom operators as recommended by Trai.

With this decision, it may become difficult for existing telecom players to get additional spectrum for further expansion as the DoT has raised the subscribers base to nearly five times. The government has also accepted the recommendation of Trai that there should be no cap on the number of access providers in any service area.

DoT said that the access service providers should endeavour to use more efficient methods and optimum technologies for efficient spectrum utilisation. In order to encourage licencees to use all available methods for efficient spectrum utilisation, the "spectrum enhancement charge", in addition to annual spectrum charges based on revenue shares will be levied at the time of additional spectrum allotment to licencees beyond 10MHz for GSM operators and 5MHz for CDMA operators.