Tuesday Aug 29 2000
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Mobile services not for basic phone operators
Manoj Gairola
NEW DELHI
THE DEPARTMENT f Telecommunications does not seem to believe in reaping the benefits of convergence of technologies. It does not permit the basic telecom service providers to offer limited mobile telephony using wire less in local loop systems.
The private basic telecom operators have been asking DoT to allow them to provide WLL-based limited mobile services. At Rs 1.40 per minute, they could offer rates 10 times cheaper than those offered by GSM-based mobile telephone services if they were allowed WLL services.
Moreover, no additional frequency spectrum will be required to provide WLL-based limited mobile telephone services.
The cost of a three minute call using WLL services is Rs 1.40. The GSM-based cellular mobile service providers offer a three minute call at an airtime of Rs 12. In addition to this, the subscribers have to pay an additional charge between Rs 1 to Rs 1.40 for making a three minute call to a fixed telephone service network.
However, the WLL technology does not permit roaming facility to its subscribers. While the subscriber of a GSM-based mobile services can roam anywhere in the world where the services are available.
As per the DoT rules, the private basic telecom service providers can provide fixed telephony using WLL systems. However, they can not offer `hand held sets’, which enable limited mobility to the customers.
The DoT officials argue that the mobile telephony is the exclusive domain of the GSM service providers. However, its own entity Mahanagar Telephone Nigam is providing WLL-based mobile services in Delhi. The department of telecom services is planning to soon launch the services in some parts of the country.
The association of basic telecom service operators has sought telecom regulatory authority of India’s intervention.
In a letter to the chairman of TRAI Justice M S Verma, the secretaygeneral of ABTO S C Khanna has said that if the private basic service operators are permitted to provide hand hald sets, they will be able to help in increasing the teledensity and accessibility to the subscribers.
``We would like to mention that there won’t be any additional requirment of frequency spectrum and the spectrum already available will be utilised for hand held sets as well,’’ said Mr Khanna.
Bharti, Hughes, Tata, Reliance, HFCL, and Shyam are the operators of basic telecom services in the country.
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PS: Tata is the largest CDMA operator in India |
