According to GSMA, spectrum availability and sustainable pricing will drive the growth in 4G segment in India. Further, with a supportive regulatory environment and operators focusing on data services, mobile networks in the country would increasingly be able to deliver rich Internet access.
GSMA also expects growth in the Indian mobile broadband segment with 3G and 4G adoption projected to increase by 31 per cent between 2013 and 2017. In India, mobile data traffic will grow 60-fold from 2012 to 2017, at a compound annual growth rate of 127 per cent.
As per the industry body, the extent of the socio-economic benefits of mobile broadband would depend on the availability of sufficient and appropriate harmonised spectrum.
Going forward, operators in India would need larger blocks of contiguous spectrum to cope with demand and avoid congestion, particularly in urban areas. Policy makers would also need to ensure that spectrum is made available at reasonable prices and in a timely, fair and transparent manner.
