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Semiconductor industry

Broadband India Forum Takes Aim at Microsoft's White Space Plan

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Broadband India Forum (BIF) has written to telecom secretary Rakesh Garg, cautioning against allocating unused television broadcast frequencies, or 'white spaces', to Microsoft for delivering low-cost rural broadband connectivity. Instead, BIF advocates for auctioning these frequencies to ensure a level playing field for all players. BIF represents companies such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Intel, Marvell, UTStarcom, and BSNL. The organization argues that TV UHF spectrum, which lies in the 470-698 MHz range, should be auctioned due to its excellent propagation characteristics. BIF president TV Ramachandran dismissed the idea of deploying white spaces technology, stating that there is "no genuine TV white space" in India, and instead suggesting that idle spectrum in the TV UHF band be made available to all players through an open and transparent auction process.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Broadband India Forum (BIF) has expressed concerns over Microsoft's plans to utilize unused television broadcast frequencies, or 'white spaces', for low-cost rural broadband connectivity.
  • BIF advocates for auctioning these frequencies to ensure a level playing field for all players, citing excellent propagation characteristics of TV UHF spectrum.
  • BIF represents companies such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Intel, Marvell, UTStarcom, and BSNL.
  • BIF president TV Ramachandran dismissed the idea of deploying white spaces technology, stating that there is "no genuine TV white space" in India.
  • Microsoft has completed a successful pilot in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, using TV white space technology.
  • The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged telecom secretary Garg to involve all licensed telecom operators in white space technology field trials.

Statistics:

  • 5 lakh villages in rural India are expected to benefit from low-cost rural broadband connectivity.
  • The TV UHF band lies in the 470-698 MHz range.
  • Microsoft has completed a successful pilot in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, using TV white space technology.
  • BIF represents 9 major companies in the Indian telecom industry.

Sources:

  • ET, cited in the text: "BIF urges DoT to auction TV UHF spectrum; prefers level-playing field for all players", unnamed publication date.
  • Microsoft spokeswoman, cited in the text: "In India, we have completed a successful pilot in Srikakulam (in Andhra Pradesh), and the reasons for undertaking he pilot are to take the technology risk out, to show that this technology (read: TV white spaces) works and (can) even help create an economic model that allows affordable WiFi to be delivered successfully", unnamed publication date.
  • Broadband India Forum (BIF), cited in the text: "Since TV UHF spectrum has excellent propagation characteristics, making it ideal for both in-building data services and rural coverage, it must be auctioned, given the limited amount of spectrum available for mobile services in the conventional 800, 900, 1800, 2100 MHz bands", unnamed publication date.

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