DoT turns down request from the armed forces for pan-India 900 MHz spectrum

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has dismissed the armed forces’ demand for the allocation of spectrum in the 900 MHz band.

DoT has turned down the request on grounds that the spectrum in the 900 MHz band is already held by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Indian railways. Further, according to DoT, spectrum in the 900 MHz has been allocated for commercial use and since the armed forces had not specified their requirements in advance, it cannot be allocated spectrum in this band.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence had sought 2.4 MHz pan-India spectrum in the 900-MHz band and another 1.2 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band in Delhi. So far, the Ministry of Defence has already allotted 15 MHz of spectrum in the 700-800 MHz band, 20 MHz of spectrum in the 2,300-2,400 MHz band and 150 MHz of spectrum in the 1,700-2,000 MHz band to the armed forces.

However, DoT’s Wireless Planning Cell is exploring alternatives to release 1.2 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band for meeting the army’s requirement in Delhi on a case-to-case basis.