NEW DELHI: The GSM Association (GSMA) has welcomed the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for global spectrum harmonization of 3G services within the Indian government's established Spectrum Policy (NFAP 2002). According to GSMA, this ensures that India retains alignment with the International Telecommunications Union's (ITU) IMT2000 core (2GHz) band for 3G services.

According to the press release, last year the GSMA called on TRAI to remain within the global IMT2000 scheme for harmonized 3G services and reject the US PCS band and the mixed-band plan proposals, which would have led to isolation of India's mobile telecommunications and IT sectors.

"The government of India's final policy decision will open up enormous opportunities for India's IT industry to support the development of applications and solutions on a global basis. The IMT200 core band scheme will ensure that Indian users benefit from significant economies of scale, choice and value, all of which are critical market drivers in support of the government's goal of reaching 200 Million subscribers by 2007," said GSMA's government and regulatory affairs officer Tom Phillips.

However, the GSMA also notes that some of the other recommendations of TRAI could provide unfair advantages to CDMA operators over GSM. As part of its recommendations, TRAI suggested immediate release of additional spectrum for CDMA operators in the 800MHz band - which the GSMA views as preferential treatment with no set timetable for the release of additional spectrum to operators of GSM and future 3GSM based services.

The GSMA is therefore calling on the Minister of Telecommunications and IT and India's Telecom Commission to demonstrate fair and equal treatment towardsall players with regard to timing of allocation of spectrum for 3G services. GSMA also wishes them to ensure the simultaneous release of spectrum in the 2GHz (IMT-2000 core band) and 800MHz frequency bands.