Lok Sabha Question No. 6095 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Per-Capita Availability of Spectrum
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6095 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  APRIL, 2018

## PER-CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF SPECTRUM

## 6095. SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether one of the biggest challenges for Digital India programme is slow pace of development of communication infrastructure and only ten percent spectrum is available to metro cities in the country as compared to the developed countries;

- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  per-capita  availability  of  spectrum  in  metro cities, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether most of the rural  areas  are  deprived  of  internet  facility  as  Internet  service providers are finding it economically unviable to provide the service in remote and rural areas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b) Spectrum in 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz bands has been made available for allotment to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in various service areas including Metro cities. On an average 48.86 MHz spectrum in  above  spectrum  bands  has  been  made  available  to  each  TSP.  Details  of  spectrum available for allotment to TSPs in various service areas including metros are at Annexure-I.

In  the  spectrum  auction  conducted  in  October  2016,  a  total  of  2354.75  MHz  of spectrum in these bands was put to auction, out of which, 964.8 MHz of spectrum was sold in  800  MHz,  1800  MHz,  2100  MHz,  2300  MHz  and  2500  MHz  bands.  Further,  the Government has also permitted  various  cases  for  spectrum  sharing  and  spectrum  trading among telecom  service  providers  as  per  the  guidelines  issued  by  the  Government  in  this regard.

Therefore, availability of spectrum is not an issue in the Telecom sector in our country.

- (c) As on 31 st  December 2017, there were 132.03 million Internet Rural subscribers out of total 445.95 million Internet Subscribers. Service Area-wise details of rural subscribers of Internet is enclosed as Annexure-II.
- (d) The following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  broadband infrastructure:
- (i) BharatNet  Project  is  being  implemented  in  a  phased  manner  to  connect  all Gram Panchayats (GPs) (approx. 2,50,000) by broadband in the country. In December  2017,  Phase-I  of  BharatNet  has  been  completed  by  connecting one lakh GPs. As on 25.03.2018, by laying 2,68,963 km Optical Fibre Cable

(OFC),  a  total  of  1,13,964  Gram  Panchayats  have  been  connected,  out  of which 1,04,889 Gram Panchayats have been made service ready. As part of this  project,  the  last  mile  connectivity,  through  Wi-Fi  or  any  other  suitable broadband technology  is  to  be  provided  at  all  the  Gram  Panchayats  in  the country. The project is targeted to be completed by March 2019.

- (ii) A  proposal  for  providing  mobile  services  (including  data  service)  at  4072 Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  identified  locations  in  Left  Wing  Extremism (LWE)  affected  area  has  been  considered  and  recommended  by  Telecom Commission with an estimated cost of Rs. 7,330/-  Crores (excluding Taxes). The proposal is being submitted to the Cabinet for kind consideration.
- (iii) Under Comprehensive Telecom Development for North East Region (NER), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is implementing the project to install 2817  mobile  towers  for  providing  mobile  (including  data)  coverage  in  4119 uncovered villages at an estimated cost of Rs. 2258 Cr.
- (iv) M/s Bharti Airtel Limited and M/s Bharti Hexacom Limited have been selected through tendering process to install 2004 mobile towers for providing mobile (including  data)  coverage  in  2128  villages  and  National  Highways  in  rest  of NER at an estimated cost of Rs. 1656 Cr.

Annexure-I Spectrum Availability for Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in various frequency bands

| Sl. No.   |                      | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | Spectrum Availability (in MHz)   | No. of TSPs in the Service Area   | Per Capita Spectrum Availability (Spectrum available per TSP) (in MH   |
|-----------|----------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | Service Area         | 700 MHz                          | 800 MHz                          | 900 MHz                          | 1800 MHz                         | 2100 MHz                         | 2300 MHz                         | 2500 MHz                         | Total                            | No. of TSPs in the Service Area   | Per Capita Spectrum Availability (Spectrum available per TSP) (in MH   |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh       | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 435.0                            | 9                                 | 48.33                                                                  |
| 2         | Assam                | 70.0                             | 30.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 426.8                            | 8                                 | 53.35                                                                  |
| 3         | Bihar                | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 431.8                            | 9                                 | 47.98                                                                  |
| 4         | Delhi                | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 44.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 439.0                            | 9                                 | 48.78                                                                  |
| 5         | Gujarat              | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 435.0                            | 11                                | 39.55                                                                  |
| 6         | Haryana              | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 411.8                            | 8                                 | 51.48                                                                  |
| 7         | Himachal Pradesh     | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 431.8                            | 9                                 | 47.98                                                                  |
| 8         | Jammu and Kashmir    | 70.0                             | 25.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 401.8                            | 7                                 | 57.40                                                                  |
| 9         | Karnataka            | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 435.0                            | 9                                 | 48.33                                                                  |
| 10        | Kerala               | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 431.8                            | 9                                 | 47.98                                                                  |
| 11        | Kolkata              | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 435.0                            | 9                                 | 48.33                                                                  |
| 12        | Madhya Pradesh       | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 431.8                            | 8                                 | 53.98                                                                  |
| 13        | Maharashtra          | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 435.0                            | 9                                 | 48.33                                                                  |
| 14        | Mumbai               | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 44.4                             | 110.0                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 439.4                            | 8                                 | 54.93                                                                  |
| 15        | North East           | 70.0                             | 30.0                             | 38.8                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 428.4                            | 7                                 | 61.20                                                                  |
| 16        | Orissa               | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 431.8                            | 8                                 | 53.98                                                                  |
| 17        | Punjab               | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 43.6                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 418.2                            | 8                                 | 52.28                                                                  |
| 18        | Rajasthan            | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 411.8                            | 10                                | 41.18                                                                  |
| 19        | Tamilnadu            | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 40.4                             | 118.8                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 444.2                            | 10                                | 44.42                                                                  |
| 20        | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 411.8                            | 10                                | 41.18                                                                  |
| 21        | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 70.0                             | 35.0                             | 37.2                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 40.0                             | 40.0                             | 411.8                            | 10                                | 41.18                                                                  |
| 22        | West Bengal          | 70.0                             | 30.0                             | 38.8                             | 109.6                            | 80.0                             | 60.0                             | 40.0                             | 428.4                            | 10                                | 42.84                                                                  |
| Average   | Average              |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                   | 48.86                                                                  |

Note:

FDD spectrum has been reflected as paired spectrum.

| Service Area         |   Number of Rural subscribers (in millions) |
|----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh       |                                       11.67 |
| Assam                |                                        4.53 |
| Bihar                |                                       11.05 |
| Delhi                |                                        0.69 |
| Gujarat              |                                        7.73 |
| Haryana              |                                        3.59 |
| Himachal Pradesh     |                                        2.01 |
| Jammu and Kashmir    |                                        1.75 |
| Karnataka            |                                        6.42 |
| Kerala               |                                        7.11 |
| Kolkata              |                                        0.9  |
| Madhya Pradesh       |                                        6.24 |
| Maharashtra          |                                       11.98 |
| Mumbai               |                                        0.65 |
| North East           |                                        2.2  |
| Orissa               |                                        4.66 |
| Punjab               |                                        4.31 |
| Rajasthan            |                                        8.23 |
| Tamilnadu            |                                        8.25 |
| Uttar Pradesh (East) |                                       12.94 |
| Uttar Pradesh (West) |                                        6.52 |
| West Bengal          |                                        8.59 |
| Total                |                                      132.03 |

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