The Hindu : Front Page : Raja to seek vacation of unutilised spectrum from defence forces

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 11, 2007
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Raja to seek vacation of unutilised spectrum from defence forces

Sandeep Joshi

Group of Ministers likely to meet this month to discuss the issue

Indian Telegraph Act states that Communications Ministry is sole owner
DoT rules out possibility of merging
BSNL and MTNL

NEW DELHI: With lack of spectrum hitting the expansion plans of mobile companies, Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja has decided to meet External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A.K. Antony to seek an immediate vacation of unutilised spectrum from defence forces and other occupants.

According to sources in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Mr. Raja would soon meet Mr. Mukherjee who heads the Group of Ministers (GoM) formed to look into the controversial issue. The GoM is likely to meet this month to discuss the issue.

The Telecom Minister would also call on Mr. Antony to impress upon him the urgency to vacate the unutilised spectrum lying with the defence forces.

“Despite agreeing that defence forces were holding up precious spectrum needed for expansion of mobile network and introduction of advanced services, the Defence Ministry has failed to act,” said a senior DoT official.

Mr. Raja would seek release of 60 Mhz of unutilised spectrum from defence forces over a certain period of time so that defence establishments could get some time to strengthen their communication network, he said.

The Defence Ministry has been demanding an alternate network for its three armed forces to release 45 Mhz of spectrum for 2G (Second Generation) and 3G (Third Generation) services. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which is preparing an alternate network for the Army and Navy so that it could vacate the spectrum, would have to spend Rs. 4,000 crore on the project. DoT has already expressed reservation over this huge spending to get only 2.5 Mhz of spectrum from these forces.

Sources said the Communications Ministry is also likely to demand Rs. 5,000 crore from the Defence Ministry for occupying radio waves. Mr. Raja would quote the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, which states that the Communications Ministry is the sole owner or custodian of spectrum, they added.

Meanwhile, DoT has ruled out the possibility of merging the two public sector undertakings, BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, due to presence of private stakeholders in MTNL who are not in favour of the merger. While BSNL is 100 per cent Government-owned, MTNL has 56.25 per cent government stake.

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