Date:04/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/01/04/stories/2008010451600600.htm

RCom seeks freezing of spectrum allocation

“GSM players were already holding spectrum more than what has been mandated under the licence conditions.”

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Jan. 3 In a counter move to COAI’s (Cellular Operators Association of India) appeal in High Court, Reliance Communications has filed a petition with the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal seeking an order to freeze spectrum allocation to existing GSM operators.

The company said in its appeal that the GSM players were already holding spectrum more than what has been mandated under the licence conditions. Its appeal follows a move by the GSM operators to appeal in High Court seeking a stay on the Government’s decision to allocate crossover spectrum.

“Direct and hold that the allocation of spectrum in excess of the licence mandated quantum is arbitrary and illegal and not in line with the licence provisions. Direct the respondents (Government) not to issue any additional spectrum to the existing dominant private GSM operators since all of them are already having spectrum more than what is mandated in the licence agreement,” the RCom petition said.

The company also said that the Government should reclaim all the spectrum quantity beyond the licence mandated quantum of 6.2 MHz from all the private GSM operators and levy an appropriate fee on the existing private GSM operators for the extra spectrum from the date of allocation to the date of returning the excess spectrum. “Direct the respondents to immediately take back 900 MHz band spectrum allocated to the 4th cellular operators in violation of the licence conditions of the 4th cellular licence,” it said.