In 2003, the TRAI recommended to the Government a migration from the 

service specific regime to a Unified License regime. This was to be 

implemented in two phases. The first phase provided the licensees with the 

option to migrate to a Unified Access Service License on payment of the 

differential between the entry fees paid and the amount paid to acquire the 

fourth cellular license. In places, where there was no fourth cellular licensee, 

the benchmark was set at the entry fees of Basic Service Providers in that 

service area. With the advent of Unified Access License, the country today 

has 5 to  8 Cellular Mobile Service Providers in most of the areas, with 3~4 on 

GSM & 2~ 4 on CDMA.  

1.1 

New Telecom Policy 1999 and need to conserve spectrum  

NTP'99 states 

 5.0 Spectrum Management  

With the proliferation of new technologies and the growing demand for 

telecommunication services, the demand on spectrum has increased 

manifold. It is therefore, essential that spectrum be utilised efficiently, 

economically, rationally and optimally. There is a need for a transparent 

process of allocation of frequency spectrum for use by a service and making it 

available to various users under specific conditions.   

Also  

  Relocation of existing Spectrum and Compensation:  

Considering the growing need of spectrum for communication services, 

there is a need to make adequate spectrum available.  

Appropriate frequency bands have historically been assigned to 

defence & others and efforts would be made towards relocating them 

so as to have optimal utilisation of spectrum. Compensation for 

relocation may be provided out of spectrum fee and revenue share 

levied by Government.  

There is a need to review the spectrum allocations in a planned 

manner so that required frequency bands  available to the service 

providers.  

There is a need to have a transparent process of allocation of frequency 

spectrum which is effective and efficient.   

The growth in cellular mobile has exerted pressure on spectrum. In cities like 

Delhi and Mumbai, where operators have been allocated upto 10 MHz, there 

is already demand for more than 10 MHz. With the 900 MHz GSM band 

completely occupied, the allocations beyond 8 MHz to each operator is 

possible only in 1800 MHz band. In 800 MHz CDMA band, some licensees 

have been allotted upto 3 carriers, out of a total of 4. With the growth of data, 

there is likely to be demand for more here too.

Internationally, the next band 

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