Spectrum crunch can close TV, satellite services, Govt warned

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) VSAT operators today reacted strongly to the Government decision to provide satellite bandwidth in the range of 3.4 GHz-3.7 GHz to terrestrial wireless services such as Wimax, saying it could result in the closure of hundreds of TV channels and satellite services across the country.

This range is used by Indian and international satellite operators, so if it was allocated to WiMax, it would play havoc with the operation of several satellite services and TV channels, they told reporters here.

At an emergency meeting with the Planning Commission, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO), they said a capacity crunch had already developed that sees demand for satellite services vastly outstripping supply of transponders, so the proposed re-allocation of spectrum for WiMax services, as decided by the Department of Telecom, will turn a crunch into a crisis.

''The largely unconsidered implications of the proposed changes could be catastrophic for news broadcasters which use the lower end of the C-band spectrum. This is exactly the spectrum which is now being given to WiMax services which could easily use other frequencies,'' they said.

During the meeting, representatives of VSAT Association of India(VSAI), the Global VSAT Forum(GVF) and the regionally bases Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia(CASBAA) also sought to underscrore that the shortage of satellites was greatly harming the cause of India's growing broadcasting and telecommunication industries.

It was high time that satellite services, which were crucial in the country's telecom revolution, were fairly and efficiently allocated, they said and urgend the government to allow international players in the field.

Mr DP Vaidya of VSAI said if the Government opened up skies for DTH and VSAT operators, it would revolutionise public access to new and exciting interactive media and elecommunication and also bring down the cost of these services.

''Broadcast channels supported by bandwidth-hungry broadband TV, and two-way broadband interactive telecommunication services cannot be deployed unless there is a significant access to in-orbit satellite inventory for Indian users,'' said Martin Jarrold of GVF.

While praising ISRO' role in fuelling growth in satellite communications that will paly a vital role in the country's economic growth, CASBAA chief David Ball said it should now partner with more of the world's great telecommunication industries to remove the shortage of satellites and give wider choice to the country's consumers.

WiMAX services are an alternative to cable and DSL for data transfer through wireless technology for last-mile delivery of information. The do not need a direct line-of-sight connection between a base station and a subscriber station.

UNI