New entrants into the GSM mobile space may have to wait for spectrum, said Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary Siddharth Behura. “They are used to waiting. They can wait now also,” Behura said. There is no timeframe for the government to start releasing spectrum. It has not yet been decided whether the operators will be issued pan-India spectrum at one shot or they will be allotted spectrum as an when it is available in a circle.

Behura indicated that the Defence Ministry may start releasing spectrum from June 2008 as the Air Force Network will be completed by then. The secretary, however, did not give any time frame for the Army and Navy network to be completed.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is developing an optical fibre based network for the Defence forces. “We are in touch with the Ministry of Defence,” said Behura. “As soon as adequate spectrum is vacated, we shall simultaneously distribute to new players.”

Asked how much spectrum was expected to be vacated by the Ministry and how many players would be accommodated, Behura said, “we shall try to accommodate all of them. But one thing is clear. We are not going to starve the Defence from the spectrum they are using; so whatever can be vacated without hurting their operations we will get.”

He indicated that if extra spectrum was available after meeting demands of applicants till September 25, 2007, then only would firms which applied after September 25 be considered. In all nine firms that had applied till September 25 have been allotted LoI.

... contd.