The telecom industry has insisted on allocation of Very High Frequency (VHF) spectrum only on auction basis. file | Photo credit: The Hindu
The aircraft communications industry argued on March 10 that requiring an auction for wireless spectrum used for communications between aircraft and airports would be burdensome, and that such spectrum is not licensed around the world. On the other hand, the telecom industry insisted on allocation of Very High Frequency (VHF) spectrum only on auction basis.
Representatives from both the industries shared their views at an open house discussion organized by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday.
The discussion followed written submissions that were filed by these firms earlier this year.
Department of Telecom (DoT) The issue was referred to TRAI in April 2022. Ten countries reviewed by the telecoms regulator, including the United States, Singapore, New Zealand, Qatar and Sri Lanka, do not have an auction system for awarding VHF licenses for communications between aircraft and airports. ,
Read this also | Progress without limits: On clearing the decks for the first auction of radio spectrum
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) runs such data communication systems using VHF in six airports, and other airports are served by air communication firms such as Geneva-headquartered SITA and US-based Collins Aerospace. The AAI and both of these firms argued against the auction, because it is a rare practice, and because VHF radio signals can travel only as far as the eye can see, and have little to do with anything other than basic location and position signalling. It’s hard to get used to cheeses.
SC judgment
While the companies and the AAI are currently operating these services without any hindrance, the DoT expressed concern over the 2012 judgment of the Supreme Court in the 2G spectrum case, and its implications for the practice of administratively allocating VHF spectrum. There may be implications. The court said that year that all radio spectrum should be allocated through auction.
Prashant Sanglikar, assistant director of safety and flight operations at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), warned during the discussion, VHF spectrum allocation should be a “simple administrative thing, so that ultimately there is no cost increase on the airlines.” , an indication that the auction of VHF spectrum may also increase air fares.
Read this also | Explained | How will the sale of 5G spectrum affect the sector?
“This [VHF communications] Not really a telecom service,” said Rajesh Ballal, head of regulatory affairs for Asia Pacific at SITA. “It’s really more like an aeronautical service. That is why it is governed more by Civil Aviation Authority rather than DoT. […] Services are limited purely to the air transport industry. ,
Telcos support auction
Rakesh Gujral, Reliance Jio’s head of TRAI coordination, said, “All communication services provided by non-governmental organizations should be offered within the ambit of Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act and should be offered only under appropriate authorization of the Unified License.” should go.” “We do not support any administrative function of spectrum,” Mr. Gujral said, “except public utility activities undertaken by the government.”
“This service is being offered by one commercial entity to another commercial entity,” said Ajay Mehta, Vice President, Policy & Operations, TRAI, Vodafone Idea Ltd. “The concerns that the DOT had about this being a commercial service are very valid, and so it [VHF] has to be [brought] under a licensing framework.