Ratan Tata’s pot shots at the spectrum policy last week have agitated the GSM industry into writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with their ‘‘concerns’’.

On April 28, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) chief T.V. Ramachandran sent off a missive to the PMO with denials of discrimination against CDMA players.

‘‘We are deeply surprised... that a large CDMA operator has alleged that the government orders (on spectrum) are disadvantageous to CDMA operators in general and to the individual operator in particular,’’ says the letter.

COAI has backed up the National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP), against the Tata Group chief’s call for a consultation on spectrum.

COAI has contended that the CDMA industry claims to be five times more efficient at using spectrum than the GSM industry, whereas the government’s recent pronouncements have stuck to a 2:1 ratio for allocation of spectrum between GSM and CDMA players.

Citing International Telecommunity Union (ITU) rules, COAI has said: ‘‘It is irrelevant for the CDMA operator concerned (Tata) to ask for a national spectrum policy after speaking to all stakeholders. We already have a well defined, spectrum policy — National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) — that is fully in line with the latest technological developments and the radio regulations laid down by the ITU.’’

The CDMA industry had also expressed its unhappiness with the subscriber-linked allocation criteria for spectrum, which the government has backs up. This, according to COAI’s letter, is the only way India can distribute spectrum effectively, in the absence of readily-available spectrum.

... contd.