By IANS
New Delhi : State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has sought the government’s nod to start mobile phone services in the country using CDMA technology currently being offered by firms like Reliance Communications.
Giving this information to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament, IT and Communications Minister A. Raja said the grant of permission has, however, been challenged by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
The members of COAI comprise companies that offer services based on global standard on mobile (GSM) telecom.
COAI has challenged it at the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal.
“BSNL has submitted a request to the government recently, seeking permission to provide fully-mobile services using CDMA technology in addition to the GSM technology under the existing licenses in 21 states,” Raja said.
The GSM operators, he said in the written reply, have challenged this, since it pertains to the use of dual technology spectrum, for which the regulatory body has a set of recommendations.
“As per the department of telecommunications norms, two CDMA carriers of 1.25 MHz each have been allotted for each of the licensed telecom circles of BSNL for providing fixed and limited mobile service under basic services licence.”