Expedite process of spectrum for 3G: TRAI

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New Delhi, January 2:: Aiming to increase the growth of broadband in the country, telecom regulator TRAI on Wednesday asked the government to expedite the process of availability of spectrum for third generation (3G) and Wimax services.

In its recommendations on 'Growth of Broadband' today, the regulator said the government should expedite the decision on TRAI's recommendations regarding mechanism and pricing of spectrum for 3G and broadband wireless access.

The municipal committees should also be encouraged to include a clause for making Multiple Dwelling Units/ buildings broadband ready by adopting suitable internal wiring while giving clearance for the construction of all such buildings in future, it said.

The government had announced Broadband Policy in 2004 and fixed a target of 9 million broadband subscribers by the end of 2007 and 20 million by 2010.

However, the growth of broadband in the country is very slow and below expected level. India had only 2.67 million broadband users by the end of September 2007.

With an objective to identify various impediments affecting the growth of broadband and to adopt forward looking approach to address all such problems, TRAI had issued its draft recommendations on 'Growth of Broadband' in September 2007 and sought the comments of stakeholders.

In its final recommendations, TRAI also said that BSNL and MTNL should be encouraged to appoint franchisees for providing broadband services to supplement their efforts and any procedural restrictions/limitations should be addressed immediately.

It said that the government should ensure availability of more number of KU band transponders to roll out broadband services through Direct to Home (DTH) platform. Besides this, cable TV operators should be encouraged to provide broadband over their network.

In order to increase the competition to provide broadband in rural areas, more than two service providers seeking minimum subsidy should be identified with a rollout obligation to ensure the establishment of network.

The service provider, identified for USO Fund subsidy to provide broadband, should have spectrum for suitable technology.

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) fund should be utilised to provide subsidy for providing broadband services through satellite in remote and hilly areas.

On Tuesday, TRAI had asked service providers to specify minimum speed of broadband plan, which must be at least 256 Kbps and has already written to all the service providers not to use words like "up to" while specifying minimum speed of the plan.