Government would be taking the required action on the spectrum allocation for Wi-Max, said Dr Shakeel Ahmed, India's Minister of State for Communications & IT, while speaking at the inaugural secession of Wi-Max India 2007, last week.
"We are aware that a technology such as Wi-Max will bring down the cost of broadband access and ensure interoperability. Wi-Max has additional advantages for developing economies like India, that don't have widespread line based broadband infrastructure in place. High speed wireless broadband technology such as this, promises an economically viable solution to accelerate the internet adoption that can revolutionize lifestyles in India", said Dr. Ahmad. He further added that the Government was planning to provide wireless broad band to every panchayat headquarters.
"For making the India's telecom dream come true, the allocation of adequate quantity of spectrum is one of the most crucial factors," said Mr Amit Sharma, Country President, Motorola India and Vice President- Strategy, APC, Motorola Inc. Mr. Sharma further suggested that that sharing of active as well as passive infrastructure for lowering cost of operation for the service providers should be encouraged so that the users in rural areas could get the service at lowest cost.
While endorsing Mr. Sharma's point of impact on the Indian economy, Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Bharti Airtel said, "the customer for Wi-Max was ready but allocation of spectrum in bits and pieces is not helping. Also we are of the opinion that spectrum charges based on revenue sharing and not on basis like number of subscribers, if the aim is to provide low cost service to rural audience".
The industry was unanimous in suggesting that the allocation should be in the 2.5 MHz band and 30 MHz per operator. "Only big players should be allocated as only they could use the spectrum efficiently", Mr Singh further suggested.
In Asia already 25 operators are using the 2.5 MHz spectrum for Wi-Max and about 20 more are in the process of providing such services. While responding to industry demand, Dr Ahmad said that would be taking the required action soon. Meanwhile, the Joint Wireless Adviser to the Government Dr. Ashok Chandra also assured that the spectrum allocation policy was being finalised.
Making a different suggestion, VSNL vice president for marketing and technology Prateek Pashine said; "if operators could come together and ask for 3.3 MHz frequency, the vendors would make equipment for that spectrum." He expected that by 2012 wireless broad band would be making a significant contribution for the GDP growth just as it was doing in Korea right now. "India is going to be a wireless Wi-Max country" he predicted.
On India's specific equipment for Wi-Max, Alcatel-Lucent India head of corporate communications A. Sethuraman said their research and development division has produced a common base station programmed remotely by software, which will reduce the operational costs considerably. The company's R&D was helping service providers reduce total cost of ownership in Wi-Max deployment.
On behalf of equipment making industry, chairman emeritus of Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association N. K. Goyal said that Indian industry was ready to meet the challenge of Wi-Max supplies to the operators.
Posted to the site on 26th August 2007
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