  Telecom tribunal, TDSAT today upheld the government’s move to allow Reliance Communications to offer mobile services under CDMA as well as GSM domain.
The TDSAT also rejected the demand of incumbent GSM operators to be granted spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz.
The TDSAT in fact came down heavily against Trai recommendation of linking spectrum allocation to subscriber base terming it as a move which is not fair and transparent.
“We hold that there is nothing irregular in grant of 4.4 MHz as start- up spectrum to respondent (RCom)…..We do not find any ground to level malafide intention on the part of Department of Telecom (DoT) and accordingly hold that the issue of early completion of formalities is not a matter that would require intervention at our level,” said the judgement.
TDSAT has also suggested that DoT review its existing policy of not capping number of operators in a circle. This is in view of the limited availability of spectrum.
TDSAT has also said that the two PSUs - MTNL and BSNL should be treated at par with private operators while allotting additional spectrum.
COAI director general TV Ramachandran said that the association has not yet decided whether it will go to the Supreme Court against TDSAT verdict.
“AUSPI welcomes the judgment of the tribunal which clearly vindicates the AUSPI stand that development of technology and its applications for the benefit of the subscribers can not be stopped and establishes once again that frivolous issues are being raised by COAI to thwart competition and fair play,” said S.C. Khanna, Secretary General, AUSPI. |