Formula for defence spectrum band hammered out

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly reached an agreement with the ministry of defence for determining a specific frequency band that will be used exclusively by the defence forces, freeing up the large amount of spectrum they are sitting on, which the communications ministry has long been hankering for.

''We have already identified a 'defence band' for defence communications alone. Till now there was no clarity on the issue, but soon a government notification will be issued that will pave the way for an exclusive frequency band for our defence paraphernalia. This will also help in speedy vacation of radio waves being held by various defence forces for civilian use,'' telecom secretary R Chandrashekhar told The Hindu.

Chandrashekhar said that various technical and procedural issues relating to the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), which has been given the task of rolling out a secure communication network for defence forces, has also been settled.

Though there has been some delay in the execution of the project, a revised project would soon be cleared by the telecom commission, the DoT's highest decision-making body, and placed before the cabinet for clearance.