2.6.2 Additional spectrum requirement and IMT 2000 spectrum 

deployment policy 

From Table 2.3 it is evident that at the present juncture and particularly in 

metros, GSM is expected to get spectrum to the tune of total 15 MHz when 

additional spectrum gets released in the 1800 MHz band.  So far as CDMA is 

concerned, there is no path available for provisioning more than the currently 

allocated/committed amount of 2x5 MHz to four service providers. 

If we examine the bands which are available for use of cellular mobile 

services as approved by WARC but not necessarily available in India and also 

look at the picture of equipment availability, the following scenario emerges. 

IMT 2000 band has already been outlined as 1885 2025 and 2110 2200 MHz 

at WARC 92 and a further identification of 1710 1885 MHz has been done at 

WARC 2000.  This aspect has been discussed in Section 2.3. 

One possibility is the use of the North American PCS band in India, viz. the 

FDD band 1850 1910 MHz paired with 1930 1990 MHz for CDMA purposes 

for which equipment is also available.  Out of this band, the segment 1880 

1900 KHz has been designated for micro cellular technologies on TDD and 

operators have largely deployed TDD based indigenous CorDECT technology 

band.  This is further discussed in the following Section 2.7.  There are, 

however, issues in using the PCS band for CDMA applications in India.  

Firstly, if the spectrum in this band is allocated to the cellular mobile services 

(FDD), it would reduce the 3G spectrum availability as upper band of CDMA 

(1930 1990 MHz) clashes with the lower band on IMT 2000 spectrum (1920 

1980 MHz), though one could argue that CDMA 2000 1x is recognised by ITU 

as IMT 2000 service capable. 

Another issue that arises from using both IMT 2000 and PCS 1900 band plan 

relates to interference. It has been brought to our notice that using both 

WARC   92 bands (1920   1980 / 2110  2170 MHz) and PCS 1900 band 

plan (1850  1910 / 1930  1990 MHz) may cause interference problems. 

Prima facie there appears to be possibility of such interference, however, this 

would need further examination.  

The other possibility is the formulation of strategies on IMT 2000 spectrum, its 

potential use and availability. 

The options in this regard are 

a) IMT 2000 spectrum be considered an extension of 2

nd

 Generation 

Mobile Services and be treated in the same manner 

b) IMT 2000 spectrum be considered separately and be provided to 

operators for providing IMT 2000 services only 

In the event that we adopt option a), the advantage is that the existing 

operators would have greater clarity over the availability of this spectrum and 

15