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DoT seeks Rs 2 billion World Bank loan

A proposal to this effect, prepared by the Wireless Planning Cell, has been forwarded to the World Bank through the Department of Economic Affairs.

T O D A Y

• Phoney threat • AirTel tests handset • DoT seeks Rs 2b loan • Kerala plans IT policy

A proposal for a smaller amount is also likely to be submitted for a project to train DoT employees in new service areas including the Internet, email and data management services that the department is likely to offer in the future.

Senior DoT officials, who had discussions with a World Bank team in the capital recently, said the Bank is keen to fund projects in the telecom sector.

The frequency spectrum, a limited resource, which was earlier shared only by government agencies in areas like telecommunications, broadcasting and defence, has now to be shared with private telecom companies.

The need to upgrade the spectrum planning and management facility has been greatly felt by these companies whose business plans, in some instances, have been affected by a delay in release of spectrum bands.

A case in point is the CorDECT wireless in local loop system, which operates in the 1880-1935 MHz. Since the 1800 MHz band had been assigned to national security agencies, the frequency clearance issue was resolved after a year's delay.

Similar problems are likely to crop up as operators increasingly use wireless technologies for local loop, long distance and even international long distance access.

Meanwhile, the government has announced that spectrum in the 800 MHz band for the operation of WLL systems by basic service providers will be reserved in the following proportion: 40 per cent for DoT, 40 per cent for private basic service providers and the remaining 20 per cent for the operator who demands it first.

This will also require extensive planning for which spectrum management infrastructure will be required, industry representatives point out.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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