India’s regulator calls for spectrum audit by independent agency

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) wants the government to identify spectrum being held by various departments and agencies for effective commercial application of the scarce natural resource, notes the Economic Times. “In order to ensure the availability of spectrum and appropriate utilisation, the Department of Telecom (DoT) should carry out studies on its usage and necessity so that various departments holding a scarce resource can use it in a right manner,” said RS Sharma, TRAI chairman. Other than telecoms services, nearly 60% of identified spectrum is held by various departments and their agencies for the use of FM radio and DTH TV, satellite and space communication, aeronautical navigation, and defence communication services. The regulator added that if spectrum was not put to use optimally and efficiently, it might result in not only financial loss to the government but also hinder economic and social development of the country. “In its auction recommendations to the government last August, the watchdog said various government agencies were allocated spectrum administratively and that should be put to optimal use, adding that it had suggested an audit on many occasions. TRAI, through this exercise, also wants to draw up a schedule for the release of suitable frequencies to the telecoms sector for effective mobile telephony and broadband services in the country.” TRAI says the audit should be done by an independent agency. Read more

• Wednesday, 15 May 2019