Question : ALLOTMENT OF SPECTRUM TO CDMA OPERATORS

(a) the criteria for allotment of spectrum to CDMA operators;

(b) whether Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) has given permission for maximum spectrum of 5+5 MHz for CDMA and 6.2+6.2 MHz for GSM;

(c) if so, whether the WPC came out with a notification for allotment of spectrum beyond contracted amount;

(d) if so, whether the Government has lost over Rs. 1700 crore for not having a policy document in place for auction of 2G spectrum and allotting on adhoc basis as per notification of WPC; and

(e) if so, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)

(a)to(e) The initial and subsequent additional spectrum is being allotted to the CDMA and GSM operators in accordance with the relevant provisions of their respective Service License Agreements and criteria in this regard, subject to availability of spectrum. Additional spectrum is allotted as per the subscriber based criteria which prescribed “Active Subscribers” and “Peak traffic” averaged over a month in the Visitor Locator Register (VLR) and Network Management System (NMS) respectively, for allotment of additional spectrum to ensure its optimal and efficient use and also, keeping in view the inherent spectrum utilization efficiency of different technologies, which leads to equitable, and not necessarily equal, allotment of spectrum.

The Unified Access Service License (UASL) has a provision for allotment of additional spectrum for GSM as well as CDMA operators subject to optimum usage, justification and availability. Additional percentage of revenue share is levied for such additional spectrum.