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The argument loop for WLL widens
Neeraja Kumar
New Delhi : Even as it conceded that internationally, there is no concept known as "limited mobility", the panel of experts invited by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to discuss issues related to limited mobility, is veering to the view, that till technology advancements put WLL on par with GSM, "limited mobility based on the Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) application, should be poor man's mobile service, which can find a place in between basic and cellular telecom services." But while emphasizing that no restrictions should be placed on technology advancements, the panel also said that the concerns of the cellular operators and issues related to level playing field also need due consideration. However, experts differed on the pricing of the WLL-based limited mobility services. According to Mr Ashok Jhunjhunwala, IIT Chennai, one of the 12 members in the committee, cellular prices should be similar to those of basic, as technology in WLL and GSM are compatible. He indicated that for this fourbasic issues need to be addressed: License fee and revenue share percentage;
Taxes and duties being different with just 5 per cent custom duty for cellular phones while much higher 35 to 40 per cent duty on fixed WLL terminals;
Interconnection charges and principles.
Spectrum charges.
However, Mr H P Wagle, ex-secretary, DoT, recommended that WLL tariff should be identical to that of basic service and that the WLL service as a separate service could be deployed at the local exchange, SDCA, LDCA or even circle level as per requirement. Mr Prabir Purukayastha, from the Delhi Science Forum also said that the tariffs should be comparable to basic service, adding that technology advances cannot be stopped. Even if there may be changes in commercial and economic issues, regulatory principles should allow for all such changes and it should be left to the consumer whether he wants ``to move his handset'' (aka mobility). Mr N Vittal, central vigilance commissioner, stressed that in India we have both bullock cart and Mercedes car and telecom services also should have similar options available. He advocated a new concept of pluralism wherein there could be different quality of service, technologies and cost options. Mr MN Shukla, ex-CMD, MTNL, mentioned that in last five years, cellular operatorshad too much of level playing field and have made hundreds of crores, whereas basic services suffered though readymade customer base were made available by the latter.
Mr T S Subramanian, ex-member, DoT, said that price of WLL Limited Mobility should be slightly higher than that of basic services. In case prices are kept same, every subscriber would opt for WLL and there will be no takers for wire line operations except in case of Internet at 64 Kb and ISDN etc., he added. The above recommendations are significant as the telecom industry is sharply divided over the issue of allowing basic service operators to provide limited mobility using the WLL application of CDMA. While the cellular operators are up in arms against the suggestion, saying it will impact their revenues, the basic operators are of the view that they should be allowed to provide limited mobility.
Neutral industry experts, which at this moment are hard to find, say that "as a technology, like GSM, CDMA also allows you mobility. But having said that, "limited mobility" should be allowed."Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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