TT Correspondent | New Delhi | 11 Oct 2009
In what could severely mar the roadmap for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) services which are generally considered to be related to WiMAX services, the Wireless Planning Commission (WPC) has highlighted some key areas of concern for spectrum bands identified for BWA services in the country.
On the 2.5 GHz band which was originally marked for BWA use, the WPC has pointed out the band is presently being used extensively by INSAT operators. “The Department of Space (DoS) is also planning new series of INSAT systems to use this band for multimedia broadcast applications to fixed and mobile users,” says WPC.
On the 3.5 GHz band, the WPC points out that spectrum in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band is used by satellite based systems. The WPC says that experiments are being conducted to assess the electromagnetic compatibility between WiMAX systems and satellite based services. WiMAX-based services are already running on the 3.3-3.4 GHz band.
“Discussions with the DoS are in progress for release/sharing of part of the band in 3.4-3.6 GHz to meet the spectrum needs of WiMAX applications in the country” says WPC.
Even on the 2.3 GHz band, the WPC says that the band is used currently by several departments for their captive point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links all over the country.
The WPC however says reframing of band in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz is currently under progress.
The WPC side of the story matches the Information Memorandum (IM) prepared by DoT but yet to be released. Even in the IM, the DoT had expressed some apprehensions over availability of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. However the IM stated the use of two blocks of 20 MHz each in the 2.3 GHz band for spectrum auctioning.
For wireless services future availability of spectrum is of very prime importance since service providers who make significant investments in adoption of technology would generally tend to avoid barriers in the form of spectrum crunch. Indian Mobile service providers have already faced such a situation in case of 2G spectrum unavailability. The proponents of WiMAX in India have been maintaining that there is a viable business case even with 20 MHZ to start with. Globally service providers have got atleast 30 MHz for WiMAX service launch.
In what could severely mar the roadmap for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) services which are generally considered to be related to WiMAX services, the Wireless Planning Commission (WPC) has highlighted some key areas of concern for spectrum bands identified for BWA services in the country.
On the 2.5 GHz band which was originally marked for BWA use, the WPC has pointed out the band is presently being used extensively by INSAT operators. “The Department of Space (DoS) is also planning new series of INSAT systems to use this band for multimedia broadcast applications to fixed and mobile users,” says WPC.
On the 3.5 GHz band, the WPC points out that spectrum in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band is used by satellite based systems. The WPC says that experiments are being conducted to assess the electromagnetic compatibility between WiMAX systems and satellite based services. WiMAX-based services are already running on the 3.3-3.4 GHz band.
“Discussions with the DoS are in progress for release/sharing of part of the band in 3.4-3.6 GHz to meet the spectrum needs of WiMAX applications in the country” says WPC.
Even on the 2.3 GHz band, the WPC says that the band is used currently by several departments for their captive point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links all over the country.
The WPC however says reframing of band in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz is currently under progress.
The WPC side of the story matches the Information Memorandum (IM) prepared by DoT but yet to be released. Even in the IM, the DoT had expressed some apprehensions over availability of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. However the IM stated the use of two blocks of 20 MHz each in the 2.3 GHz band for spectrum auctioning.
For wireless services future availability of spectrum is of very prime importance since service providers who make significant investments in adoption of technology would generally tend to avoid barriers in the form of spectrum crunch. Indian Mobile service providers have already faced such a situation in case of 2G spectrum unavailability. The proponents of WiMAX in India have been maintaining that there is a viable business case even with 20 MHZ to start with. Globally service providers have got atleast 30 MHz for WiMAX service launch.
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