India puts CDMA-based WLL on fast track
March 30, 2001
NEW DELHI, India—India is going full speed ahead in introducing CDMA-based wireless
local loop (WLL) services for basic telephony. The government-owned fixed-line operator,
BSNL, has launched its WLL services; a spectrum plan for private basic operators willing
to offer WLL was announced, and the first set of 40 WLL licenses has been shortlisted.
Inaugurating BSNL’s WLL service in Haryana state, Communications Minister Ram Vilas
Paswan said the government has an ambitious target of providing telephones in all villages
by 2002—a task to be accomplished through WLL technology. All village phones based on
older technologies like MARR will be replaced with WLL-based CDMA phones. He said the
objective is to increase teledensity to 7 percent by 2005 and to 15 percent by 2010.
He also announced that 40 letters of intent have been issued to three companies—Tatas,
Reliance and HFCL—for providing WLL-based basic services in different circles. The
government received more than 130 applications. He said the rest of the applications have
not been rejected, and they are under consideration.
In a related move, the spectrum plan for basic operators has also been finalized. Spectrum
will be allocated to private companies on a “first come first served” basis. According to the
plan, spectrum to the extent of 2.5 megahertz plus 2.5 megahertz in the 824 MHz to 844
MHz spectrum band paired with the 869 MHz to 889 MHz band will be allocated on
installation of point of presence (POP) in a short distance charging area (SDCA).
Subsequent allocation of the spectrum up to a total of 5 megahertz has been linked to the
rollout obligations in terms of setting up of POP in the various SDCAs.
For wireless access systems in local areas, spectrum of not more than 5 megahertz plus
5 megahertz in the 824 MHz to 844 MHz band paired with the 869 MHz to 889 MHz band,
or 5 megahertz in the 1880 MHz to 1900 MHz band for micro cellular architecture base
systems shall be allocated to any basic service operator, including incumbents.
In the case of the Delhi metropolitan area, spectrum allocation has been linked to the
subscriber base rollout—on achieving 200,000 base stations in the first phase and 300,000
in the second phase. This allocation of spectrum linked with the rollout would result in
faster rollout of the network by the basic service operator with a cost-effective solution.
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