Telecom operators have urged the government to auction spectrum that would be used for direct-to-mobile (D2M) services in a technology-neutral manner.
The government is reportedly exploring a proposal to deliver broadcasting or TV content directly to mobile phones without a data connection and is considering reserving 526-582 MHz spectrum for such D2M services. However, telcos said that this spectrum is precious as they are already being identified by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for mobility services.
According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), this spectrum needs to be assigned through auctions in a technology-neutral manner. The successful bidders should be able to deploy this spectrum either for broadcasting (D2M) or international mobile telecommunications (IMT), or both, as per the requirement and under the terms of their service licence.
As per the telcos, if the spectrum is auctioned, it will allow them to utilise the airwaves flexibly within the networks for IMT and broadcasting services. COAI stated that this would help in ensuring optimal utilisation of this precious spectrum for IMT and leveraging broadcasting capabilities to save bandwidth on the network. This would provide a seamless experience to customers who use smartphones for both video consumption and other data-based services.
The operators have also highlighted that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in April 2022 had recommended the 526-582 MHz band to be utilised for IMT. The regulator had proposed that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) should work with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to prepare a plan for an early migration from analogue to digital transmission so the frequency band from 526-582 MHz can be vacated for IMT services. In case a complete refarming of the band was not feasible, it should be used for IMT and broadcasting on a coexistence basis. The band is currently being used for terrestrial TV broadcasting.
Further, the telcos said the purpose of leveraging the broadcasting capabilities for the delivery of video content to consumers can be achieved by utilising the broadcasting technologies within the ecosystem of mobile cellular networks for optimum use of spectrum between broadcasting and unicasting requirements.
On the proposal of utilising a public-private partnership (PPP) model for implementing D2M services, where spectrum can be administratively allocated, the telcos argued that though it is projected as a model for public good, it involves considerable commercial interests for private parties. As per COAI, the proposed PPP model aims to pursue the commercial interests of private entities in the name of public services by using the public resources acquired in a non-transparent manner without payment of market-determined prices.
