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Earlier,
the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had in its recommendations
on Issues Relating to Mobile Television Service on 23 January
2008 made recommendations for introduction of Mobile TV services
by private operators. Although the Information and Broadcasting
Ministry was in agreement with majority of recommendations,
the draft policy on Mobile TV has not been prepared due to
non-availably of adequate spectrum in the UHF Band V (585-698
MHz).
50
MHz of broadcasting spectrum allocated to Defence
The Ministry had projected the requirement of spectrum for
Doordarshan (585-646 MHz) and Mobile TV (96 MHz beyond 646
MHz) in UHF Band V. But Wireless Planning and Coordination
Wing (WPC) said it had already decided to allocate frequency
band 625-675 MHz - a total of 50 MHz - to Defence within 585-695
MHz, though it had been allocated to broadcasting services.
This allocation to Defence disturbs the entire band as requirement
spectrum for DD and Mobile TV is to be met within 585-698
MHz, as recommended by Trai and National Frequency Allocation
Plan (NFAP) 2011.
The Ministry had, therefore, suggested that even if Defence
has to be given spectrum, it should be towards one end of
585-698 MHz - beyond 646 MHz - so that broadcasting spectrum
remains contiguous. Accordingly, the Department of Telecom
and the WPC had been requested to talk to Defence about relocation
of Defence spectrum to 646-698 MHz (a total of 52 MHz), but
no reply has been received so far.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology
has been informed by the I&B Ministry that the draft Policy
of Mobile Television has been put on hold due to non-availability
of adequate spectrum in the VHF band V(585-698 MHz) and in
view of this the Ministry may have to examine the feasibility
of introducing mobile TV services.
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