COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 26, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The CDMA Development Group (CDG) (www.cdg.org) and leading CDMA operators in India are urging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to make the 1900 MHz band available for the deployment of CDMA2000(r) systems in India, emphasizing that CDMA operators need the spectrum to continue to participate in the development of wireless services in the country. Consequent to the issue of Universal Access License one year ago, which allowed CDMA and other technologies to enter the mobile market, wireless services have grown 160 percent to reach 40 million users. The competition has driven tariffs to one of the lowest rates in the world, putting phones in the hands of millions who previously could not afford it. This phenomenal growth will continue and, along with China, India will become one of the largest wireless markets in the world. CDMA operators in India do not have enough spectrum to support future growth, and have requested the 1900 MHz band to deploy IMT-2000 services. This allocation is consistent with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommendations and will not inhibit other IMT-2000 technologies to be deployed in India.
"The CDG commends TRAI and the Indian government on their leadership in adopting policies that promote competition and we urge them to continue to create equal opportunities for all operators in India," said Perry LaForge, executive director for CDG. "CDMA2000 operators in India are introducing the most advanced 3G technologies available today to provide high-quality voice and advanced data services to the consumer, and they should have equal spectrum allocation per international standards. As the experiences in many countries around the world show, spectrum flexibility and technology-neutrality are key to facilitating the deployment of 3G services."
India has full flexibility to select spectrum to use for IMT-2000 systems based on current use of the spectrum and the needs of the market. The ITU has identified a range of frequency bands for IMT-2000, and does not preclude their use for any other services to which these bands are allocated. The vast majority of IMT-2000 systems deployed today are at 800 MHz and 1900 MHz.
"CDMA operators have only half of the spectrum allocated to GSM carriers, which is not enough to support the minimum capacity required over the next two years for voice services only," said B.B. Anand, President for Regulatory Affairs at Reliance Infocomm. "We need additional spectrum at 1900 MHz, for which CDMA2000 equipment and handsets are readily available, so we can expand our networks rapidly and integrate them with our existing systems. We have no other options."
"The allocation of 1900 MHz to CDMA operators will provide an equal playing field for all operators in India to introduce 3G services," said Ashok Sud, Chief of Regulatory Affairs at Tata. "There is no technical reason that the 1900 MHz allocation will prevent deployment of WCDMA in India, as the opposition claims. WCDMA and CDMA2000 are being deployed in the same bands, as the examples in the U.S. and Japan show. Also, GSM operators can migrate their existing networks in 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands to WCDMA."
About CDMA2000: 100 Million and Growing
With more than 124 million subscribers worldwide, CDMA2000 is leading the global migration to 3G networks and services. CDMA2000 benefited from the extensive experience acquired through the development and operation of cdmaOne(tm) systems, and was designed to be a very efficient and robust technology. CDMA, the basis for cdmaOne and CDMA2000, was used as the platform for TD-SCDMA and WCDMA, the two other leading IMT-2000 technologies. Supporting both voice and data, CDMA2000 was designed to operate in the 450, 800, 1700, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands. More information on CDMA2000 is available on the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
About the CDG
The CDMA Development Group is a trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of CDMA technologies. The 100 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of the CDG include development of CDMA features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently, there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittees on CDMA-related matters. For more information about the CDG, contact the CDG News Bureau at +1-714-540-1030 or visit the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.