ICRIER (Indian Council for Research on International Economics Relations) has come out with a paper that will create a curriculum for spectrum assignment in India’s satellite communications sector. Explain that satellite spectrum is a shared resource. Satellite communication is essential to achieve Digital India’s goals of broadband access and improved satellite TV services. We are telling you how this facility will work.
ICRIER has launched a working paper supported by Broadband India Forum (BIF).
New Delhi: Tech Desk: Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has launched a working paper supported by Broadband India Forum (BIF). The objective of this study is to prepare a curriculum for spectrum assignment in satellite communication sector of India.
The paper, authored by ICRIER and Professor Rekha Jain, examines the implications of satellite spectrum assignment through auction and highlights the auction’s failure to achieve essential spectrum management and regulatory objectives.
The authors emphasize that satellite spectrum is a shared resource and that there is little current experience and practical models of assignment through auction. Instead, the authors advocate administrative assignment of space-based communications spectrum on a shared basis, in line with international best practices.
Importance of Satellite Communication
- Satellite communication is essential to achieve Digital India’s goals of widespread broadband access and improved satellite TV services.
- Unlike the exclusive allocation framework governing mobile and broadcast local services, satellite spectrum calls for a uniquely tailored spectrum assignment strategy that maximizes its utility when shared.
Suggested by the study
- The paper suggests that special assignments through auctions, when applied to space-based communications, fall short of effectively achieving spectrum management objectives.
- It advocates a departure from these traditional methods and suggests the adoption of priority and coordination mechanisms for spectrum sharing within the framework of the ITU Radio Regulations.
- This will not only provide regulatory certainty, but will also help in achieving universal coverage, facilitate growth of the satellite sector, enhance the global competitiveness of Indian telecom companies and preserve and enhance content diversity and pluralism essential to a strong democracy.
Satellite Spectrum Assignment: Key Points
Some of the major criteria put forth for evaluating the assignment of satellite spectrum for policy purposes include-
- Efficient use by service providers: Spectrum will be segmented through special assignments through auctions, with each service provider being assigned a portion of the entire available bandwidth, leading to lower data rates and inefficient use.
- Facilitating Competition: Allowing a limited number of players through auctions limits access to a few providers, creates artificial scarcity and creates barriers to entry for smaller players.
- Fair and transparent assignment process: As long as assignments are made openly through pre-announced mechanisms, a transparent and fair mechanism can be put in place.
- Maximum Productive Use of Spectrum: Fragmentation hurts spectrum management efficiency, leaving underutilized stretches, which is contrary to DoT/TRAI’s goal of efficient public resource management.
- Helping the satellite sector grow: Satellite services are useful for various economic activities. Inconsistent spectrum assignment mechanism will prevent global satellite providers from entering Indian markets. Companies want regulatory certainty, which the special assignment and auction mechanism is unlikely to deliver.
- Enabling Indian Telecom Companies to Become Globally Competitive: New Spacecom Policy, Digital India and NDCP 2018 look forward to a vibrant, competitive telecom sector and a growing satellite segment. However, the auction of spectrum for space-based communications is likely to see a decline in the nascent satellite sector in India as delays in policy and regulatory framework and poor participation of the private sector will be seen.