KOLKATA: Telecom operators are up in arms against a Microsoft plan to take Internet to the country's far-flung villages by leveraging tiny gaps left unused between television broadcast frequencies.
These companies aren't against the technology or Microsoft's entry into the space per se, industry executives said. Their problem is with the possibility of the US major getting free or exclusive access to this spectrum, called white spaces, which they said is a valuable national asset that telecom operators are also interested in.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents companies such as Bharti AirtelBSE 0.50 %, Vodafone India and Idea CellularBSE -0.16 %, is set to shortly write to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Telecom Secretary Rakesh Garg and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman RS Sharma demanding an auction of the spectrum, instead of allocating it to one company, two people with knowledge of the association's plans said.
To justify the demand, the people cited a Supreme Court ruling that said all spectrum used for commercial purposes should be allocated through auctions. "If Microsoft wants to acquire white space spectrum, it should bid for it in an open auction," said one of the people.
The government's stated position is to allot spectrum and other national assets only through auctions. The industry lobby group is raising the issue at a time when the American multinational is working closely with the Narendra Modi government for testing its white space technology to deliver affordable Internet connectivity across rural India.
The first phase of tests was carried out in Andhra Pradesh. During Modi's recent trip to Silicon Valley, Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said the company is keen to bring lowcost broadband Internet access to 5 lakh Indian villages
White space airwaves, typically, lie in the 470-698 MHz range. These can take radio signals to much greater distances than conventional mobile bands, starting at 800 MHz, and hence are ideal for delivering mobile broadband in rural areas. Since these airwaves cover a larger area, the requirement of infrastructure such as telecom towers is less.
Prashant Shukla, Microsoft India's national technology officer, said the white spaces spectrum can take signals up to 10 km and enable speeds up to 16 Mbps. "The technology can quickly provide low-cost Internet connectivity to underserved sections and also provide newer ways of livelihood in rural India," Shukla said.
"We believe rural internet will propel India's rural economy," he said, referring to a 2012 International Telecom Union report that said a 10% increase in broadband would increase GDP by 1.38% in low and middle income countries.
Microsoft didn't say what its position is on the demand for auctioning the airwaves. It said the company "has received tremendous support" from the Andhra Pradesh government as well as the telecom department and electronics and IT department in running pilots in India. The company said "it is working with the concerned authorities" to undertake more pilots.
Globally, the white space technology has been successfully deployed in the US and Singapore, and is being tested in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and the Philippines, it said.
COAI Director-General Rajan Mathews didn't respond to an email seeking comment on the association's demands.
One of the two people who spoke to ET said the airwaves in the white space bands have superior propagation characteristics than the premium 900 MHz spectrum used by the top telecom operators.
The 900 MHz band is currently priced at roughly Rs 45,000 crore for a pan-India 5 MHz block, he said. If these "airwaves are not auctioned and remain unlicensed," the government "would lose a major revenue generation opportunity", the person said.
The association wants to "dispel the myth" about the existence of TV white spaces. According to a recent IIT-Bombay study, said the second person, more than 80% of the TV spectrum is free and lying unused — which means not just small gaps but entire blocks of spectrum are available in the 470-698 MHz range.
Last month, COAI, in a letter, had exhorted the telecom secretary to "involve all telecom stakeholders" in the white space technology field trials being conducted by the telecom department and Microsoft. ET has seen a copy of the letter.
Meanwhile, Geneva-based International Telecom Union is likely to consider inclusion of these airwaves for delivery of mobile services at its upcoming World Radio Conference next month. The ITU deals with spectrum management issues globally and recommends new technologies and standards.
Read more at:
Telecom operators fear Microsoft may get free access to low frequency bands - The Economic Times
These companies aren't against the technology or Microsoft's entry into the space per se, industry executives said. Their problem is with the possibility of the US major getting free or exclusive access to this spectrum, called white spaces, which they said is a valuable national asset that telecom operators are also interested in.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents companies such as Bharti AirtelBSE 0.50 %, Vodafone India and Idea CellularBSE -0.16 %, is set to shortly write to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Telecom Secretary Rakesh Garg and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman RS Sharma demanding an auction of the spectrum, instead of allocating it to one company, two people with knowledge of the association's plans said.
To justify the demand, the people cited a Supreme Court ruling that said all spectrum used for commercial purposes should be allocated through auctions. "If Microsoft wants to acquire white space spectrum, it should bid for it in an open auction," said one of the people.
The government's stated position is to allot spectrum and other national assets only through auctions. The industry lobby group is raising the issue at a time when the American multinational is working closely with the Narendra Modi government for testing its white space technology to deliver affordable Internet connectivity across rural India.
The first phase of tests was carried out in Andhra Pradesh. During Modi's recent trip to Silicon Valley, Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said the company is keen to bring lowcost broadband Internet access to 5 lakh Indian villages
White space airwaves, typically, lie in the 470-698 MHz range. These can take radio signals to much greater distances than conventional mobile bands, starting at 800 MHz, and hence are ideal for delivering mobile broadband in rural areas. Since these airwaves cover a larger area, the requirement of infrastructure such as telecom towers is less.
Prashant Shukla, Microsoft India's national technology officer, said the white spaces spectrum can take signals up to 10 km and enable speeds up to 16 Mbps. "The technology can quickly provide low-cost Internet connectivity to underserved sections and also provide newer ways of livelihood in rural India," Shukla said.
"We believe rural internet will propel India's rural economy," he said, referring to a 2012 International Telecom Union report that said a 10% increase in broadband would increase GDP by 1.38% in low and middle income countries.
Microsoft didn't say what its position is on the demand for auctioning the airwaves. It said the company "has received tremendous support" from the Andhra Pradesh government as well as the telecom department and electronics and IT department in running pilots in India. The company said "it is working with the concerned authorities" to undertake more pilots.
Globally, the white space technology has been successfully deployed in the US and Singapore, and is being tested in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and the Philippines, it said.
COAI Director-General Rajan Mathews didn't respond to an email seeking comment on the association's demands.
One of the two people who spoke to ET said the airwaves in the white space bands have superior propagation characteristics than the premium 900 MHz spectrum used by the top telecom operators.
The 900 MHz band is currently priced at roughly Rs 45,000 crore for a pan-India 5 MHz block, he said. If these "airwaves are not auctioned and remain unlicensed," the government "would lose a major revenue generation opportunity", the person said.
The association wants to "dispel the myth" about the existence of TV white spaces. According to a recent IIT-Bombay study, said the second person, more than 80% of the TV spectrum is free and lying unused — which means not just small gaps but entire blocks of spectrum are available in the 470-698 MHz range.
Last month, COAI, in a letter, had exhorted the telecom secretary to "involve all telecom stakeholders" in the white space technology field trials being conducted by the telecom department and Microsoft. ET has seen a copy of the letter.
Meanwhile, Geneva-based International Telecom Union is likely to consider inclusion of these airwaves for delivery of mobile services at its upcoming World Radio Conference next month. The ITU deals with spectrum management issues globally and recommends new technologies and standards.
Read more at:
Telecom operators fear Microsoft may get free access to low frequency bands - The Economic Times
