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Indian WiMAX Spectrum Winners Allowed to Deliver Voice Services
India's Department of Telecommunications agrees to allow WiMAX spectrum winners to deliver voice services---for a price
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India recently decided to allow
its WiMAX spectrum winners to offer voice services after all. But the
catch is that the price will be higher.
Previously, the DoT had set the broadband wireless price at 25 percent of the
cost of a 3G mobile license based on a per MHz basis. With voice being
allowed the price will jump to at least 50 percent of the base cost of a 3G
license. Costs for a nationwide WiMAX with voice enabled would climb
to approximately $230 million from $115 million.
As might be expected the Indian 3G mobile community thinks allowing WiMAX to
compete with both voice and data at a discount is patently unfair. While
WiMAX proponents argue that the price is still not low enough to enable
affordable broadband data delivery.
The spectrum in question includes 40 MHz at the 2.3 GHz frequency and another 40
MHz at 2.5 GHz. Of the 2.5 GHz potion nationwide operators BSNL and MTNL
already have 20 MHz set aside for them. That leaves a total of 60 MHz up
for auction to fall to three bidders who can each claim 20 MHz.
For 3G dual 5 MHz channels between 1920 and 1980 MHz and another 5 MHz at 2110
to 2170 MHz is up for grabs.
Tim Sanders
www.TheFinalMile.net
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