Govt admits to constraints in spectrum allocation
New Delhi: Dayanidhi Maran minister of telecom and communications informed the Rajya Sabha that there were constraints in allocation of spectrum allocation to telecom companies as spectrum was also being used for space and defence purposes. Maran said different countries followed different criteria for allotment of spectrum, "In India, availability of spectrum in frequency bands, needed for the mobile telecom services, is constrained due to other existing operations."

He said subscriber-based criteria have been adopted for spectrum allotment to ensure efficient and optimal utilisation of available spectrum which is considered to be the best suited at present for spectrum allotment in India."

"The active subscribers in Visitor Location Register (VLR) and peak traffic in Network Management System (NMS), averaged over a month, are considered to be an objective mechanism for verification," he said.
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Tea exports jump 63.7 per cent
Kolkata: Tea exports from India, which produces the largest amount of tea in the world, jumped 63.7 per cent in June to 19.63 million kg, from 12 million kg in the same month last year. Exports rose 20.4 per cent in May from the same month a year ago after falling in April.

Basudeb Banerjee, the Tea Board's chairman said India has successfully been able to tap the markets in the Middle East and Pakistan.

Tea production in India in June rose 5.2 per cent to 104.33 million kg, compared to 99.21 million kg in the same month last year, officials said. But the total production in the first half of the year was down 3 per cent at 328.22 million kg, compared to 338.51 million kg in the same period last year, Tea Board officials said. With major tea producer Kenya recovering from a drought followed by floods, there is global shortfall in tea. Indian tea producers hope to increase exports to 200 million kg by end of 2006, officials said. In 2005 exports stood at 187.6 million kg.
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Terror attacks bid foiled: World on high alert
New Delhi: A red alert has been sounded globally after a terror attack bid on 10 US airlines in the UK was foiled. Security has been stepped up at the Indira Gandhi International airport and Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in Mumbai after the plot to attack the airlines was discovered.
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