Tata Tele to give up spectrum allocated without auction

Spectrum in 800 Mhz band can be used for 4G services but the airwaves held by Tata Teleservices across 15-16 circles can be used for 2G services as well and these frequencies cannot be transferred to Airtel, as per rules. “In a meeting with DoT, Airtel and Tata Teleservices offered to surrender 2.5 megahertz of spectrum assigned to Tata Tele administratively in 800 Mhz band in all circles,” the official said.

Tata Teleservices is required to pay the present market rate to make the airwaves allocated without auction usable for 4G services or for transferring them to Airtel. However, according to sources, given their debt condition, both Tata Teleservices (TTSL) and Airtel are not willing to pay the market rate of the spectrum. The total holding of TTSL in the 800 Mhz band could not be ascertained.

TTSL has total of 178 Mhz spectrum across 800 Mhz, 1800 Mhz and 2100 Mhz bands across 19 circles, out which only 71.3 Mhz of spectrum can be transferred to Airtel without paying market rate which is calculated based on the last auction price. Debt-ridden loss-making firm Tata Teleservices and Bharti Airtel announced their merger in October 2017. The deal is on a no-debt, no-cash basis, implying Airtel is not taking over any of the about Rs 40,000 crore debt of Tata Teleservices and is neither paying any cash. The National Company Law Tribunal has approved the merger of Tata Teleservices with Bharti Airtel. The DoT has to give its final approval to the merger.

Vodafone Idea integrates 25%of radio network across India

Telecom major Vodafone Idea has completed the integration of their mobile network in eight telecom circles post merger of the two entities, leading to a doubling of improvement in 4G services. The merged entity said in a statement here on Sunday that, as a result of the operation, 25 per cent of the network integration across India is now complete.

“Vodafone Idea successfully consolidates 25 per cent of its nationwide radio network in just five months,” the statement said. “With this integration of network, customers of both Vodafone and Idea brands are able to enjoy a unified network experience on 2G, 3G and 4G, in the service areas of West Bengal, Haryana, HP, Assam, North East, AP and Telangana (excluding Hyderabad), Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.”

The company said its 4G network now covers over 75 crore population on a pan-India level. “Radio network consolidation completed in 8 circles and 4G coverage extended to over 750 million population on a pan-India level,” it said. “With joint spectrum firing, 4G throughput has shown quick improvement of ‘1X to 2X’ in many of these service areas.”

Besides full radio network consolidation in these eight service areas, Vodafone Idea said its 4G network consolidation has been completed in Bengaluru and 4G services have now been made available to both Vodafone and Idea customers in Kolkata metro. “The company has also re-farmed 10 MHz of 4G spectrum of Vodafone in Mumbai to enable its customers in the metro get better data experience,” the statement said. The Vodafone India and Idea Cellular merger was completed last August following approval by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The merged entity is a partnership between the Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone.