The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing private telecom companies, has raised concerns about the proposed Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) network draft policy. While the D2M broadcasting technology holds promise in offloading video traffic from mobile networks, COAI emphasizes the need for a thorough review, especially from the perspective of maintaining a level playing field.
Concerns Raised by COAI: COAI has expressed reservations about the current proposal for D2M networks, urging a comprehensive re-evaluation. The industry body highlights the importance of a level playing field and raises questions about the spectrum allocation for D2M services (526 – 582 MHz), which TRAI identifies as valuable for IMT services. COAI advocates for the auctioning of this spectrum.
Integration Challenges and Optimized Utilization: Offloading cellular networks requires seamless integration of broadcasting capabilities with cellular networks to optimize spectrum and infrastructure for broadcasting and IMT services. COAI argues that a dedicated D2M network built by a third party may not achieve these aspects optimally, emphasizing the need for a closer examination of the technology’s integration with existing networks.
Key Questions and Apprehensions: COAI raises fundamental questions about the disruptive impact on the level-playing field, the compatibility of commercially available handsets with D2M technology, and the coexistence of D2M without compromising the overall mobile usage experience for customers, including data and video experiences.
SMS-Based Disaster Alerts Through Cellular Networks: Contrary to assumptions, COAI points out that dedicated D2M networks may not be necessary for sending alerts during disasters. Cellular networks have successfully delivered SMS-based disaster alert messages through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) platform.
