NBDA seeks MIB intervention on DoT’s intent to allocate C-band spectrum for 5G

The News Broadcasters and Digital Association has written to the Union I&B secretary expressing serious concerns over the Department of Telecom’s intent on allocating the C-band spectrum for rolling out 5G telecom services on grounds that this will significantly reduce the C-band spectrum available for broadcast services.

In a letter seeking urgent intervention of I&B ministry and directions to the DoT to not take any unilateral decision without consultations with stakeholders, the NBDA has argued the proposal under consideration by the Department will commercially benefit a certain section of telecom operators and result in monopolistic operations which are “directly prejudicial to the entire satellite broadcasting industry in India”. It also said such a move, apart from hurting the industry, will have adverse impacts on freedoms of speech and expression of media.

The NBDA said the government’s proposal floated to allot C-band spectrum to telecom service providers for enabling 5G services poses a “gigantic” threat to the very existence of the broadcast industry.

“The entire broadcast industry is dependent on C-band for uplinking and downlinking signals. This resource is distributed amongst multiple stakeholders for making approximately 900 channels available in India to subscribers through various distribution platform operators,” the NBDA said, adding this was not only done in conformity with the internationally coordinated International Telecommunication Union, but also with India’s own National Frequency Allocation Plan.

NBDA said proposed allocation of bands will significantly reduce C-band spectrum available for broadcast services. It added broadcast services will be completely disrupted if the bands are allocated for 5G services as there will be interference by terrestrial telecom transmitters. ToI