COAI And The GSMA Organised A Webinar To Help The Country Tackle Critical Issues Surrounding Spectrum

Telecom Industry Seeks More Clarity On Spectrum Roadmap

The need to resolve the conundrum surrounding Spectrum, as a ‘Public resource, and National resource,’ is currently being debated, across the world, and has become more critical, since economic growth is increasingly dependent on a connected ecosystem, and for that Spectrum is essential.

With this as the backdrop, COAI and the GSMA organised a Webinar to help the country tackle critical issues surrounding Spectrum. The Webinar deliberated on important issues such as spectrum availability, spectrum auction and the importance of spectrum pricing. What roles spectrum slicing, trading and availability of free spectrum to manage the networks during emergencies were also discussed.

In the last few months, the role telecom and digital technologies have played in shaping the economic activities is well established. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of optimum spectrum use, helping connect India’s citizens. Also, as the global discussion is in full swing on how to realise 5G’s full potential, policymakers must renew their approach to manage the economy and steer technology advancement accordingly.

Telecom operators across the country have played a critical role in supporting India’s economy during a very trying time. To help the country recover, more action is needed, and a new world-class approach to spectrum licensing is a crucial step.

The Webinar also discussed how a well- designed spectrum policy could drive investment during the time of economic recovery and benefit consumers in a special panel discussion. The panel comprised senior officials from TRAI, GSMA, COAI, WPC and GSA. Panellists reiterated the need for outlining a clear roadmap and allocating 5G licences in 2021 target time frame. 

During the lockdown, India’s telecom industry with its Infrastructure worked tirelessly to ensure a 99.9 % uptime and also managed immediate data surge after the lockdown and during the natural disasters. Spectrum is the imperative to take forward the economy in a world that will be more integrated and connected online.