Non-uniform 3G in circles to delay spectrum policy

Spectrum for 3G networks will not be available uniformly across the country from April next year, according to the Department of Telecom (DoT)’s estimates. The availability of radio frequency services will reportedly range from zero to 30MHz across the country. A DoT internal note on the issue notes that Delhi will be the only circle where 30MHz of spectrum is expected to be vacated by the defence forces by April 2008. The DoT memo also states that the circles of Rajasthan, Haryana and West Bengal are likely to have about 25MHz of 3G spectrum, while Mumbai, Punjab, UP (west) and Himachal Pradesh will have about 20MHz, while in the circles of Maharashtra, Gujarat and UP (east) and Bihar, the defence forces will have vacated about 15MHz. In ten telecom circles, including Kolkata, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Assam and North-East, the availability of 3G spectrum by April 2008 cannot be ascertained.