AUSPI’S PROPOSED BAND PLAN FOR 698-806 mhz

India has nearly 430 million wireless subscribers and we are growing at the rate of 10 to 12 million new subscribers per month. The number of subscribers in the country with the demand for high rate data is a crucial factor to influence the decision for utilizing 700 MHz band (698-806 MHz) for mobile service voice and high rate data. There is a latent demand for high data rate mobile broadband.

Availability of additional spectrum for providing cost efficient mobile broadband is of utmost importance. 700 MHz band is the only available spectrum band where IMT services can be provided effectively to all areas including rural. Possibility of using 698-806 MHz for mobile communication according to us will provide a rare opportunity of cost effective wireless as well as voice and high data rate with efficient coverage and affordable service to the population to reduce the digital divide.

NFAP 2008 in its India Foot Note mentions the requirement of IMT and broadband wireless access service in the frequency band 698-806 MHz

PROPOSAL

Some of the existing operators who are utilizing this band should be easily shifted to allow 108 MHz in the 698-806 MHz for IMT services. This band for IMT should be utilized for only one type of duplex arrangement i.e FDD to make most efficient user of spectrum and provide higher Quality of Service.

Mixing of FDD and TDD in the band would lead to inefficient use of spectrum as large amount of spectrum will get wasted in providing guard bands. In Region-1 CEPT has already discussed various band plans and concluded that no mixed FDD/TDD band plan will be developed on European level, and that mixing of FDD and TDD should be avoided on national level as well. Considering the discussions and decisions already taken in other Regions a FDD band plan would be the more favoured solution for industry than a plan that mixes FDD and TDD.

Following band structure of 698-806 MHz band is recommended to be defined for India-

Figure : The band structure with dual duplexers having the same duplex distance which could be of same or different sizes (DL1 paired with UL1 and DL2 paired with UL2)

Advantages. There are several advantages with this arrangement.

(a)Utilizes the largest amount of the available 108 MHz in the 698-806 MHz band.

(b)2x50 MHz arrangement will minimize the risk of unfavourable fragmentation of this band for mobile broadband usages.

(c)Due to the two adjacent duplex arrangements, the gap between DL (downlink) and UL(uplink) blocks can be made smaller than the duplex gap(s) in some other FDD arrangements.

(d)This reversed FDD duplex arrangement, interoperability issues for better co-existence with adjacent radio communication services are also addressed.

(e)Reduces cost and complexity of handsets / terminals.

Conclusion

In this proposal we have shown only IMT band plan for India. Spectrum band 700 MHz i.e. 698-806 MHz would be suitable for IMT broadband technology. For this band, AUSPI recommends the band plan (FDD-reversed duplex) as shown in Figure above as the best possible solution. Considering the co-existence situation with broadcast at the lower end of the spectrum, the duplex direction should be reversed as also proposed in the CEPT band plan and being used effectively in the upper 700 MHz band in the Region-2.

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