AUSPI suggests separate auction of GSM and CDMA spectrum
17 Feb 2012
The CDMA operators body, Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (AUSPI), has suggested separate auction of GSM and CDMA spectrum, while supporting the Supreme Court's suggestion of auctioning 2G spectrum after the cancellation of 122 licenses on 2 February (See: SC cancels all 2G licences, orders fresh spectrum auction).
"Hoarding should be prevented by barring operators holding spectrum more than or equal to prescribed limit," AUSPI said in its response to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) pre-consultation paper on allocation of spectrum.
On 3 February 2012, the telecom regulator had rolled out a pre-consultation paper, "Allocation of Spectrum in 2G band in 22 Service Areas by auction", seeking industry comments.
It said that incumbent operators having a maximum spectrum of 10 MHz for GSM operations in metros and 8 MHz across other circles should be barred from auction to achieve the level playing field and to prevent monopolisation of the scarce resource.
Similarly, CDMA operators with a maximum limit of 6.25 MHz in metros and 5 MHz in other circles should also be prevented from taking part in the auctions.
AUSPI suggested that there should be two block of 4.4/2.5 MHz new GSM and 1.8/1.25 MHz for new CDMA licenses.
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