Bharti Enterprises Seeks Relaxation in Spectrum Holding Limit

New Delhi: Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal on Tuesday sought to relax the spectrum holding limit of 25 per cent as some of the operators have 35-40 per cent market share but have to operate at a lower level due to capping.

"The Department of Telecom and TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) have been reviewing the process. My own view is 50 per cent in-band spectrum cap, I think is a good check to have because nobody wants to have entire spectrum in one operator hands that takes away competition, ecosystem," Mr Mittal said here.

He, however, said "the overall cap of 25 per cent needs relaxation as there are operators that have 35-40 per cent market share and operating at a lower level".

"You should liberally look at the spectrum cap issue," he said at an event, where Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was also present.

The spectrum cap, the limit of radio waves a telecom operator can hold for providing wireless services, is 50 per cent in a spectrum band identified fit for transmitting mobile signals and 25 per cent of the total such spectrum assigned in a telecom circle.

In the consultation paper for spectrum auction of seven bands, telecom regulator TRAI has sought comments if a cap on the spectrum holding within all bands in sub-1 GHz frequencies be specified and in such a case, should the existing provision of band specific cap (50 per cent of total spectrum assigned in a band) be done away with.

Mr Mittal also sought to accelerate the process for discovering a reserve price for spectrum and put in into auction.

"The way data is growing, we need more spectrum and I am glad that on your request Trai has come out with a consultation paper in terms of putting out recommendations to you," Mr Mittal said.

Regarding spectrum trading guidelines, Mr Mittal said he was a votary of free trading of spectrum as it was bought in auction. However, the last trading deal announced has made his case extremely weak as the deal price was much higher than the auction discovered price.

"Therefore, the middle ground could be spectrum price discovered in auction should be the base on which the government should charge but in case of any windfall gains, a substantial portion must be shared with the government," Mr Mittal said.

He further said spectrum profiting must be discouraged but trading should be encouraged.