Currently, the C-band spectrum within the 3700-4200 MHz vary is allotted to broadcasting providers.
The MIB had final week sought info from broadcasters and teleport operators on whether or not their present and future assignments may be accommodated inside 4000-4200 MHz.
The business opined that decreasing the C-band spectrum will have ramifications for the enterprise of the sector as they will have to make investments in extra teleports as a result of the present community will not be ample for accommodating present and extra TV channels in 4000-4200 MHz.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) plans to open the 3700-4200 MHz spectrum band for telecom operators to make use of for offering 5G/6G providers.
In their submission to the MIB, the broadcasters and teleport operators have mentioned decreasing the bandwidth on C-Band to 200 MHz spectrum (4000-4200 MHz) will result in a 60% discount within the capability for the sector, which interprets to 40 transponders. Furthermore, the stakeholders acknowledged that the business will need to migrate to larger frequencies.The business stakeholders additionally submitted that migrating TV channels utilizing C-band spectrum within the vary of 3700–4200 MHZ to 4000–4200 MHz vary is just not possible. They additionally contended that the 4000–4200 MHz spectrum can solely assist 10 transponders. Therefore, 40 transponders would wish one other 5 satellites hypothetically within the 4000-4200 MHz band.The stakeholders have additionally claimed that including extra capability will take at the very least 10 years and that no satellite tv for pc operator will construct capability for the smaller dimension of the C-band spectrum.
Broadband India Forum president T V Ramachandran mentioned the broadcasters and teleport operators are the longstanding official incumbents of this spectrum and have been utilizing it for public broadcasting and leisure whereas assembly all their licence obligations and duties.
“A large 60% discount in capability is concerned on this band change, which might considerably deteriorate the standard of service to shoppers and result in a rise in value per channel,” he acknowledged.
The DoT’s resolution to make C-band spectrum accessible for telecom providers, in response to a high govt at a serious TV broadcasting enterprise, is being made to appease the telecom foyer with out realizing that it will fully destroy the broadcasting business.
“There is a severe query mark over the way forward for broadcasting in India, specifically information channels and smaller broadcasters. This will additionally pave the best way for the creation of a vertically built-in entity unfold throughout the telecom and broadcasting sectors, for which in the meanwhile there’s a coverage and regulatory void to forestall the emergence of such a monopoly,” the chief added.Furthermore, the broadcasters mentioned, decreasing or limiting the C-band spectrum will create congestion because the demand for the 4000-4200 MHz bandwidth will go up.
They urged that the federal government use millimeter waves for 5G or every other vacant frequency bands as that might not disturb the published business.
Recently, the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) had additionally requested the federal government in opposition to auctioning spectrum within the C-band (3700 to 4200 MHz) because the identical has been allotted for broadcasting providers, and opening this band for 5G/6G providers will disrupt the TV broadcasting sector because of the doubtless interference of terrestrial transmissions with the satellite tv for pc alerts.
