India makes plans to auction mobile TV spectrum

Following its recent consultation on the issues surrounding the introduction of mobile TV, India’s Telecoms Regulatory Authority (TRAI) will propose to the government that it auctions its mobile TV spectrum to the highest bidder.
The chairman of TRAI told a conference in New Delhi that the regulator was “talking about de-linking licence from spectrum”, so new operators could bid for spectrum, rather than just existing mobile operators, reports Rapid TV News.
New operators would potentially be classed as a new type of mobile operator, regulated more along the lines of a broadcast platform such as DTH or cable rather than as a telecommunications operator. Mobile TV operators would have separate guidelines and licensing conditions.
Source: Rapid TV News
Item added: 17th December 2007