This has, however, not been taken to kindly by the CDMA service provider Reliance Communication which has described the decision as ‘bowing down to pressure from the GSM operators’.

While, contrary to the previous system of allocating 2.4 to 2.8 MHz, this time the DoT has chosen to allot spectrum in the multiples of 1 MHz, Telecommunications Minister A Raja has directed the department secretary to file an affidavit with the Delhi High Court on the issue.

Although sources said that the minister had accepted Trai’s recommendations on Wednesday, it has been decided to treat Trai’s recommendations as a temporary solution to the telecom tangle.
 
With a view to arrive at a long-term consensus, the telecom department has formed a high-level panel including members from the department’s wireless coordination and planning wing, Trai, Telecom Engineering Centre, delegates from the mobile phone industry, scientific community as well as different government agencies to formulate a new guiding principles on spectrum allocation. The panel has been directed to submit its recommendations within six months.

It may be mentioned here that earlier the Cellular Operator Association of India (COAI) led by the GSM service providers like Bharati Airtel and Vodafone-Essar, had served up  a legal notice on the DoT demanding that the allocation of spectrum be postponed till the hearing of their case was over in the court.

In its petition, the COAI had disputed the TDSAT’s decision of not putting to hold the spectrum allotment procedure. As the case is scheduled for hearing on January 3, telecommunication minister Raja has directed the department to file an affidavit with the court on the government decision regarding the matter.
 

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