New Delhi: Telecom Engineering Centre, the technical wing of the DoT, has submitted its much-awaited report on spectrum allocation to the Member (Technology) of the Telecom Commission.

The report, which is the last hope for GSM-based players for additional spectrum allocation, is believed to have gone along with the TRAI's recommendation of increasing subscriber base for awarding additional radio waves. Member (Technology), who held meetings over the report today, will submit the report to Telecom Commission Chairman D S Mathur when he returns from abroad at the end of this week, following which it will be submitted to Telecom Minister A Raja.

The report on subscriber base allocation criteria is favourable for GSM players in rural circles, while in the metros, the report is understood to have retained TRAI's increased subscriber criteria, sources said. In total, the report has retained reasons for tightening the subscriber numbers for additional spectrum allocation in the range of 2-6 times hike in user numbers.

TRAI had proposed increasing subscribers number 2-6 times for allocating additional spectrum beyond 4.4 MHz in case of GSM players and 2.5 Mhz for CDMA players, which was accepted by DoT. GSM lobby group COAI has challenged it in industry tribunal TDSAT saying the calculation of TRAI in arriving at the 2-6 times number of subscriber was erroneous. Raja has said no company would get spectrum until scientific study by the TEC is carried out.

Source : PTI