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Tag: Defence ministry

  • Defence ministry says armed forces-themed movies, shows need its NoC

    Defence ministry says armed forces-themed movies, shows need its NoC

    MUMBAI: Censorship by any external regulatory body is something streamers and viewers in India are averse to. But there is at least in one area where they might have to yield to clipping scissors: how they depict the defence and armed forces in their shows and films. The Indian ministry of defence (MoD) has written to the Central Board of Film Certification directing production houses to get the former’s clearance for any show the story line of which features the armed forces or is themed around them before putting it out for viewing to the public.

    The letter – signed by the MoD’s undersecretary of state Sudershan Kumar additionally to the MeiTV and the I&B ministry – states that some “shows and films are distorting the image of the Indian army….they may also be advised to ensure that any incident which distorts the image of defence forces or hurts their sentiments may be prevented.”

    The MoD letter makes special reference to the depiction of “Indian army personnel and military uniform in a distorted manner in “XXX – Uncensored Season 2” and urges producers to acquire a no objection certificate from it before releasing shows on the defence on their platforms.

    XXX Uncensored Season 2 is available on ALT Balaji and has been facing protests from certain groups for the manner in which a woman character forces “a man to wear the Indian Army uniform, which has the national emblem on its flaps, and then tearing it.”

    The MoD says it too has received several complaints.

  • TRAI reiterates earlier view, opposes partial auction of 2100 MHz

    TRAI reiterates earlier view, opposes partial auction of 2100 MHz

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has opined that clubbing the 2100 MHz band spectrum with the spectrum of other bands for auction in February will be defeated if sufficient spectrum is not made available in the 2100 MHz band.
     
    “A split auction of 2100 MHz (one in February 2015 and remaining, say, in December 2015 after availability from Defence Ministry) will artificially increase the market price of 2100 MHz in February because of the severe supply constraint. The 15 MHz of spectrum in the 2100 MHz spectrum being vacated by Defence Ministry should be auctioned in view of the in-principle agreement reached with MoD, even if it is not available immediately,” TRAI said today.

    The Authority reiterated that in the upcoming auction of 2100 MHz band spectrum, an auction-specific cap should be placed that no bidder would be permitted to bid for more than two blocks in a local service area (LSA) if three to four blocks are available in that LSA.
     
    TRAI said there is no change in the reserve prices for spectrum in the 2100 MHz bands from what were recommended earlier.
     
    It said the Department of Telecom is responsible to ensure that the spectrum being auctioned is either interference free or to share information upfront about the areas where interference is likely to occur so that the telecom service providers participating in the auction can take informed decision.
     
    These views were given to the DoT in Clarifications/Reconsideration of Recommendations on ‘Valuation and Reserve Price of Spectrum: 2100 MHz Band.’

    TRAI had sent its recommendations on ‘Valuation and Reserve Price of Spectrum: 2100 MHz Band’ on 31 December, 2014 to the DoT. On 8 January, 2015, the DoT sought clarifications/reconsideration on many of the recommendations.
     
    After considering the comments given by the DoT, TRAI has furnished its response to the Government. The Authority, has reiterated its earlier recommendations with detailed reasoning.
     
    As highlighted in the Authority’s recommendations on ‘Valuation and Reserve Price of Spectrum: Licences Expiring in 2015-16’ dated 15 October, 2014, it is vitally important to auction spectrum in the 2100 MHz band along with spectrum in the 900 MHz band. The same sense of urgency was echoed by the DoT when, through its letter dated 27 November, 2014, it requested TRAI to expedite the process for its recommendations on the reserve price of 2100 MHz band and related issues so that the auction of spectrum being released by Defence could be conducted along with the auction of spectrum in the 800 MHz/900 MHz/1800 MHz bands scheduled to be held in February 2015. Heeding DoT’s request, TRAI delinked the 2100 MHz band from other bands – 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz band – which were part of the DoT’s reference of 16 October, 2014, and issued its recommendations specifically for 2100 MHz band on 31 December, 2014.
     
    In its back-reference of 8 January, 2015, the DoT has not indicated the exact amount of spectrum in the 2100 MHz band that will be put to auction. However, media reports suggest that only 5 MHz is likely to be put to auction. The swapping of spectrum leading to release of an additional 15 MHz will be carried out later after the DoT notify the Defence band.
     
    Quoting the Communications & IT Minister, the media has reported that the notification is likely to be done in the next 45 days. Media reports also mention that the swapped spectrum in 2100 MHz may be put to auction in December 2015.
     
    These media reports are neither a positive development nor particularly encouraging. The whole purpose of clubbing the 2100 MHz band spectrum along with spectrum of other bands for auction in February 2015 will be defeated if sufficient spectrum is not made available in the 2100 MHz band. Moreover, it was emphasized by the Authority that, if swapping has been agreed in principle, the spectrum can be put to auction and the actual assignment made after the auctions viz. once the release of spectrum is cleared by MoD. This remains a distinctly feasible option because time is on DoT’s side: actual assignment can wait till end 2015, close to a year away.
     
    The MoD has informed TRAI that the proposal for release of 15 MHz of spectrum in 2100 MHz band on a pan-India basis in lieu of an equal amount of commercial spectrum in the 1900 MHz band has been agreed to in principle and this has also been conveyed to the DoT. In its back-reference, the DoT has not assigned any reason for not putting this spectrum to auction in February 2015. In the absence of any plausible reason to hold back this spectrum, the Authority is not in a position to review its recommendations and, therefore, stands by them.
     
    The Authority would also take this opportunity to sound a note of caution. If media reports are to be believed and if spectrum is auctioned in two chunks, one in February 2015 and remaining, say, in December 2015 after availability from Defence, the result would be a split auction. A split auction of 2100 MHz will artificially increase the market price of 2100 MHz in February 2015 because of the severe supply constraint. What is more, that will then become the anchor price for the next 2100 MHz auction. This situation can be averted by putting all the available spectrum for auction in February.
     
    The full text of the response to the Government has been placed on TRAI’s website www.trai. gov.in

     

  • TRAI asked to rework on spectrum auction policy by Telecom Commission

    TRAI asked to rework on spectrum auction policy by Telecom Commission

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Commission is understood to have asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to rework its policy with regard to spectrum auction.

     
    The directive follows study by an internal committee of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which rejected the regulator’s recommendation to conduct the next round of auction after keeping enough spectrum.
     

    TRAI in its recommendations had said the government should release enough spectrum before the next round of auction which is slated to take place before March 2015. TRAI has the support of major telecom operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communications.
     

    The DoT internal committee has said it is not clear when additional spectrum will be vacated by the Defence Ministry. The DoT committee feels that there is no point in stalling the sale of what is already available
     

    In its recommendation, TRAI said the Defence Ministry should vacate the spectrum in the 2,100 MHz band. In addition, TRAI proposed that Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Limited should surrender 1.2 MHz spectrum in the 900 MHz band.
     

    The amount of spectrum being put up for auction early next year is less than the 2G spectrum currently being used by mobile operators whose licenses are due for renewal and this may lead to problems, observers in the telecom industry said.

     

  • TRAI brings out detailed paper on spectrum auctions

    TRAI brings out detailed paper on spectrum auctions

    NEW DELHI: The government should immediately take back the unused 900 MHz from the Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and from the Defence Ministry the unused spectrum in the 1800 MHz band, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said.

    In its recommendations on “Valuation and Reserve Price of Spectrum: Licences expiring in  2015-16”, TRAI has also asked the Department of Telecom (DoT) to have a fresh look at the implementation of E-GSM band.

    The entire 2×60 MHz in the 2100 MHz  band should be made available for commercial use.
     
    The government should announce the roadmap for the auction of spectrum in 700 MHz band. This   should be done before the   conduct of  the   upcoming auctions in 900/1800 MHz band.
     
    The MHz spectrum in 900 MHz band should be taken back from  BSNL from all the   Licence Service Area (LSAs), where licences expire in 2015-16 except in Punjab. In lieu, BSNL should be assigned 1.2  MHz in the  1800 MHz band only  in  those LSAs where its spectrum holding in  that band is  less  than 3.8  MHz in  this   band that is, in Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
     
    Unused spectrum in the Defence band should not be kept idle. In the LSAs, where spectrum assigned to Defence  in  the 1800 MHz band is  more than 20 MHz, DoT should coordinate with  Defence  for the vacation of spectrum held by Defence in excess of 20 MHz.
     
    A dialogue needs to be held at the  level of the  Finance Minister, the  Minister of Communications and IT and  the  Defence  Minister to ensure the  availability of additional spectrum for commercial use.
     
    At the outset, TRAI said the DoT had in April 2014 communicated that some of the Telecom Service Providers’ (TSPs)  licences are due to expire during December 2015  and early 2016 and sought TRAI’s recommendations on  the applicable reserve price for  all  the service areas for  auction of   spectrum in 900  MHz   and  1800  MHz   bands. After getting further information from DoT on certain points, TRAI had issued a consultation paper and received responses apart from an Open House Discussion.
     
    The Authority has highlighted that the upcoming auction is critical for the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) whose licences are due to expire in 2015-16. In  the 900 MHz  band, only  the spectrum held by  them is av ailable for  the  auction.
     
    These licensees will have to win back this spectrum to ensure business continuity in a LSA; if they  don’t, it places the  large  investment made in  the LSAs in jeopardy. The  continuity of services to millions of customers is also  at stake. In   this    backdrop, the   authority has  emphasised  the   need  to   make available additional spectrum before conducting the  auction.
     
    TRAI now wants that the auction should be carried only after  a clear roadmap is  available for vacating spectrum in  2100 MHz  band from Defence  and in  900 MHz  band from BSNL.
     
    The   forthcoming auction  should  be  scheduled  after   the   issues  related  to supply constraints are   resolved. Auctions in  the  800 MHz,  900 MHz,  1800 MHz and 2100 MHz band conducted simultaneously.
     
    Auctions should not be held in Maharashtra and West Bengal for 1800 MHz spectrum at this stage as spectrum is  available in very  few districts in these LSAs.
     
    The authority has reiterated its recommendation that the  frequency rearrangement in the  same band, from  within the  assignments made to the  licensees, should be permitted amongst all  licensees irrespective of  whether the   spectrum is liberalised or not. However,  the  use of spectrum shall be liberalised only if the entire spectrum holding of a licensee in a particular band is liberalised.
     
    All efforts should be  made to make available spectrum in  contiguous form. In its recommendations, the authority demonstrated how  such contiguity can  be achieved in 7  LSAs in  the  900  MHz band. Nevertheless, the  entire available spectrum should be put to auction.

    Spectrum should be  put to  auction in a block size of 2×200 KHz in both the 900 and 1800 MHz bands.
     
    In  the 900 MHz band, the bidders should be required to  bid  for a minimum of
    2×3.6 MHz in those LSAs where spectrum being put to  auction is  10 MHz or more and 2×2.4 MHz in the  remaining  LSAs.
     
    Fresh valuation of  1800 MHz  spectrum for  all LSAs  is the  preferred way  to determine value and reserve price  of 1800 MHz  spectrum (and  for  900  MHz spectrum also)  for the  forthcoming auction.
     
    The  average expected valuation of 1800 MHz spectrum of each LSA should not be lower than the  price realized in February 2014 auction in that LSA.
     
    The value of  900 MHz  spectrum in each LSA  is  subject to  condition  that average expected value in  LSA should not   be  more than  twice  the  value of
    1800 MHz spectrum in that LSA.
     
    The reserve price for  1800 MHz spectrum in Rajasthan LSA should be fixed  at a discount of 30%  on  the reserve price calculated due to availability of partial spectrum (as was done in  the February 2014 auctions).
     
    The   forthcoming auction  should  be scheduled after the issues related to supply constraints are  resolved. Auctions in  the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz band conducted simultaneously.

    Spectrum should be  put to  auction in a block  sjze  of 2×200 KHz in  both the
    900 and 1800 MHz bands.

    In  the 900 MHz band, the bidders should be required to  bid  for a minimum of 2×3.6 MHz in those LSAs where spectrum being put to  auction is  10 MHz or more and 2×2.4 MHz in the  remaining  LSAs.
     
    Fresh valuation of  1800 MHz  spectrum for  all LSAs  is the preferred way to determine value and reserve price of 1800 MHz  spectrum (and for 900  MHz spectrum also)  for the  forthcoming auction.

    The  average expected valuation of 1800 MHz spectrum of each LSA should not be lower  than the  price realized in February 2014 auction in that LSA.
     
    The value of  900 MHz  spectrum in each LSA  is  subject to  condition  that average expected value in  LSA should not   be  more than  twice  the  value of 1800 MHz spectrum in that LSA.
     
    The reserve price for  1800 MHz spectrum in Rajasthan LSA should be fixed  at a discount of 30%  on  the reserve price  calculated due to availability of partial spectrum (as was  done in  the February 2014 auctions)
     
    To  accelerate the pace of investment, and to give  a fillip  to  the  penetration  of telecom services, the   reserve price   for  North   East LSA has been fixed   at a discount of 50%  on  the  reserve price  calculated.
     
    The Recommended reserve prices for 1800 MHz and 900 MHz spectrum are  as tabulated  below.
     
    RECOMMENDED RESERVE PRICE (PER MHz)
     
    (Rs  in crore)

     

    Orissa    c    23    47
    *Reserve Price   not   recommended as spectrum is available in very few districts of LSA.
     
    @ 900 MHz spectrum is not available j  not likely to be available in  Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and J&K  LSAs.  Hence, the reserve price has not been g1ven.