Trai defends selling spectrum sans bids

New Delhi, April 29: Trai has asserted that its recommendation of allocating the ‘ backhaul’ spectrum bands without auction will help enhance mobile phone signal carrying capacity between two towers, reduce call drops and improve voice and data quality.

The telecom commission ( TC), the highestdecision making body of the telecom department, is likely to meet on May 1 to decide on allocation of spectrum in V- band and E- bands.

Trai, on whose recommendation allocation of the highly valuable spectrum is done, said spectrum in V- band and Eband even in the most advanced economies is done without auction as these airwaves are used as backhaul and not for carrying access signals to consumers.

Reached for comments, Trai chairman R. S. Sharma said the regulator had given its recommendation on allocation of spectrum in V and E bands way back in August 2014 after consulting with all stakeholders.

While all airwaves used for transmitting signals to mobile phones, called access spectrum, is and will be auctioned, the backhaul spectrum for augmenting signals between mobile towers is not, he said.

“The usage of backhaul is different from the access. Access is like a cloud it is area- wise, while backhaul is from point to point,” Mr Sharma said, adding that backhaul spectrum of between 11 and 20 GHz is, even today, given on administered price only as it cannot be auctioned.

TRAI CHAIRMAN R. S. Sharma said the recommendations were given way back in August 2014 after consultations.