NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Theme : Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.
Paper : GS - 3
What is Spectrum :
- Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Devices such as cell phones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another.
- These signals are carried on airwaves, which must be sent at designated frequencies to avoid any kind of interference. The frequencies we use for wireless are only a portion of what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Context
- What is Spectrum
- Spectrum Policy Status in India
- The New Perspective : Addressing Policy gaps
Context : It is widely acknowledged that spectrum policy in India has had ups and downs, Regretfully more downs than ups.
What is Spectrum :
- Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Devices such as cell phones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another.
- These signals are carried on airwaves, which must be sent at designated frequencies to avoid any kind of interference. The frequencies we use for wireless are only a portion of what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
- The Union government owns all the publicly available assets within the geographical boundaries of the country, which also include airwaves.
- With the expansion in the number of cell phones, wireline telephone and internet users, the need to provide more space for the signals arises from time to time.
Spectrum Policy Status in India :
- Host the second largest telecommunications network despite of failures
- Ineffective access widening space of digital divide
- Spectrum’s potential is huge but with technical limitations
- High cost of spectrum acquisition
- High cost of auctions leading to revenue loss for the government
- High network charges by operators impacts compromising equal distribution and quality
The New Perspective : Addressing Policy gaps :
1.Acknowledging and addressing the issues:
- It must be recognized that the spectrum needs to be combined with other infrastructure to enable service delivery.
- The cost of deploying other infrastructure in remote areas is nearly twice as much, while revenue opportunities are far lower, damaging if not destroying the prospects of rural businesses. Plugging the digital divide, therefore, needs a fresh approach.
2.Correcting the cost of spectrum and boosting investment:
- Licenses and spectrum are typically assigned for service areas that are, for the most part, identified by state boundaries.
- Since operators predominantly cater to urban markets, the spectrum in remote areas remains under- or in places un-utilized due to a lack of investment in allied infrastructure.
3.Reviving the old and executing the fresh provisions enshrined in draft bill for equitable sharing:
- The draft bill incorporates practical provisions on the spectrum such as use it, share it, or lose it – an awaited policy that, however, needs innovative support to be successful. The idea of “niche operators” providing services including to telecom operators and manufacturers, introduced in 2005, needs revival in this regard.
- If licensed operators are unable to utilize the assigned spectrum, the same could be given to local entrepreneurs who understand the needs of rural customers and are better placed to develop a more effective business case more quickly than the larger telcos. Active promotion of the idea of niche operators might just jolt operators out of their lethargy towards rural services.
4.Adopting innovative methods:
- Alternatively, the government may explore innovative methods of spectrum access such as a non-competitive licensing framework for certain specific use cases.
- Canada, for instance, has initiated consultations on a non-competitive local licensing framework in the 3900-3980 MHz Band and portions of the 26, 28 and 38 GHz bands to inter alia facilitate broadband connectivity in rural areas.
5.Emphasizing on Transparency and enhancing healthy competition:
- The government should build an ecosystem that inspires trust so that transparency in assignment can be secured at a reasonable price for operators with strict service obligations without the phantasm of auctions.
- At the same time, there should be no unsold spectrum. Niche operators should be invoked to engender competition, and the government could yet collect revenue for itself.
FAQs :
1. What is Spectrum ?
Answer : Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Devices such as cell phones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another.
2. Which rank does India hold for telecom Network?
Answer : India host the second largest telecommunications network despite of failures