TRAI starts process for 4G services

New Delhi Even as the government debates as to when the auction of spectrum for the third generation telephony will take place, telecom regulator TRAI started consultation for the next level of telecom services. The fourth generation or 4G technology offers download at faster speed known as ultra-broadband and high definition video on demand among other such services. "Yes. We are starting the process and would come out with a consultation paper to look into various issues relating to 4G telecom services," TRAI Chairman J S Sarma said. He, however, said categorically that this is not suggested that skip 3G process, as the government has taken definitive steps and may auction the spectrum soon. "3G has been delayed badly ... I don't want 4G or LTE (Long Term Evolution) to meet the same fate. Other countries are catching up with the 4G and that is why we are taking advance action," he said. 4G or LTE is a successor to 3G and 2G standards, with the aim to provide a wide range of data rates up to ultra-broadband (gigabit-speed) Internet access to mobile as well as stationary users. TRAI would look into the various aspects, including spectrum band to be allotted for 4G service and quantum and modes of allotment to the operators. Asked by when the consultation paper be issued, Sarma said "very shortly." The paper would throw various questions for the industry and other stake holders to deliberate culminating into recommendations by the TRAIIn fact a number of foreign players like the US-based Motorola and Ercisson have already started testing 4G or LTE technology in various parts of the world. Asked whether the government has sought recommendations from TRAI for 4G telephony, Sarma said, "TRAI required to examine various issues concerning 4G and we do not want it to be delayed like 3G and that is why we have started the process. "In fact, when I had taken the charge as TRAI Chairman, I had said that we should be technologically ready. When we start is a different process," he added. Motorola had recently said that they would be approaching the Department of Telecom (DoT) to seek spectrum for testing their equipment. Motorola has become the first telecom vendor to complete throughput up to 70 Mbps, a senior official working with the company said, adding that the LTE technology can be offered in 2.1-2.3 MHz spectrum band and the DoT is looking at the availability of this frequency. Ericsson, a leading 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technology provider, says it is at the number one position, when it comes to patents granted for LTE. Kasim Alfalahi, vice-president and chief intellectual property officer, for Ericsson and responsible for Ericsson’s global IPR organisation, says Ericsson has 25% share of all granted patents. The next competitor has 15% of the patents. This is expected to translate into a big share of the future LTE market for Ericsson. Telecom equipment makers such as Nokia and Huawei too have been making claims... 3G auction to fetch Rs 25k cr, 4G in a yr: Raja Coimbatore: The much-awaited auction of radio waves for 3G mobile phone services is expected to garner at least Rs 25,000 crore from private bidders, Union communications & IT minister, A Raja said on Saturday. “As the government has decided to hold the auction by February-end, it is expecting to fetch the amount as a one-time payment from the bidders," he said. The government expects to garner 35,000 crore from sale of spectrum in this fiscal. Raja, who was here to launch the 3G services of BSNL in Coimbatore and Nilgiris district, said efforts are on to bring in technology that would allow 2G sim cardholders to use the services as well. On 4G services launch, he said the International Telecom Union was opposed to it and there were also certain technological problems. “However, the services are expected in a year and it will not have any adverse impact on 3G,”

 

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