Satellite Vs. Telcos: Spectrum Allocation Dispute

Satellite communications players advised a cautious technique, and the demand for conjunction researches and restricting earthbound usage in shared bands to point-to-point applications only, which telcos have actually opposed.

Jio’s Spectrum Stance

“We submit that the management assignment of range is not a legally tenable or prudent policy, particularly when the spectrum bands can not be labelled as simply backhaul,” Jio said in its remarks to TRAI.

Satellite Players’ Concerns

Satellite players such as Amazon Kuiper, on their part, called for mitigating any kind of impact of extra allocation of terrestrial radio backhaul may have on Fixed-Satellite Service (FSS) operations, especially in common bands such as 18 GHz and the E-band. These bands are essential for Ka-band FSS procedures (entrance terminals, customer terminals, tracking, command, and telemetry terminals).

TRAI’s Consultation

The consultation paper keeps in mind that the Telecom Act, 2023, defines spectrum for radio backhaul will be assigned with management allowance. Nevertheless, the TRAI has cleared up that last-mile connection for fixed-wireless accessibility (FWA) will be assigned through auctions.

Telcos on Spectrum Usage Charges

Telcos, in their comments to TRAI, claimed the existing Range Use Charge (SUC) model is financially unviable due to escalating charges linked to Adjusted Gross Income (AGR), and rather, a flat, reduced, and foreseeable SUC model be taken on.

Microwave airwaves that provide cordless backhaul to over 60% of mobile towers in India, are seeing a rise sought after in the middle of accelerating 5G rollouts, and quick electronic change. They are made use of to link cell sites to the core network.

They suggested that the upper and reduced 6 GHz bands must be delicensed, or allocated without public auction, for Wi-Fi usage, and that 7 GHz be maintained for licensed IMT usage, and exempted from point-to-point backhaul projects.

As long as “75%, i.e., the lion’s share, relates to SUC for backhaul spectrum. This is a worrying pattern, taking into consideration that backhaul spectrum does not create any kind of income of its own and is just a complementary resource for access spectrum,” Bharti Airtel.

Telcos such Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have actually agreed technology players and tools manufacturers while looking for administrative allotment of microwave spectrum unlike the market leader Dependence Jio. Each team has different reasonings.