GSMA Welcomes TRAI

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The GSM Association welcomed the news that the recommendations of the Indian Regulator (TRAI) stay within the Indian Government's established policy of global spectrum harmonisation for 3G services, contained in their Spectrum Policy (NFAP 2002). This ensures that India retains alignment with the International Telecommunications Union's (ITU) IMT2000 core (2GHz) band for 3G services.

Last year the GSMA called on TRAI to remain within the global IMT2000 scheme for harmonised 3G services and reject the US PCS band and the mixed-band plan proposals, which would have led to isolation of India's mobile telecommunications and IT sectors. However, the GSMA also notes that some of the other recommendations of TRAI could provide unfair advantages to CDMA operators over GSM. As part of its recommendations, TRAI suggested immediate release of additional spectrum for CDMA operators in the 800MHz band - which the GSMA views as preferential treatment with no set timetable for the release of additional spectrum to operators of GSM and future 3GSM based services.

The GSM Association is therefore calling on the Minister of Telecommunications & IT and India's Telecom Commission to demonstrate fair and equal treatment for all players with regard to timing of allocation of spectrum for 3G services - both EVDO & 3GSM (W-CDMA), when the final decision is made, and to ensure the simultaneous release of spectrum in the 2GHz (IMT-2000 core band), and 800MHz frequency bands.