MTNL approaches govt for 4G spectrum allotment

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) CMD P K Purwar said the firm has written to the Telecom Department seeking spectrum in the 1800 and 2100 MHz bands to launch 4G services in order to strengthen its service portfolio in a fiercely-competitive telecom market.

"To survive in the mobile telephony market, 4G presence is a must. MTNL has submitted a proposal to the Department of Telecom (DoT) for allotment of 4G spectrum recently," Purwar said. The state-owned corporation is seeking 4G radiowaves in both Delhi and Mumbai service areas where it operates.

"In the market, over 85 per cent downloads are taking place in data in 4G. In this competitive landscape every single operator has to have presence in 4G. To compete effectively, MTNL also requires 4G services in its portfolio," he said.

MTNL is seeking 10MHz in Delhi in the 1800 band and 5MHz in Mumbai in 2100 band, and is keen to start its 4G services in the current financial year. The corporation currently has spectrum in the 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands, he said, adding that it has 2.2 MHz in 1800 band and 5 MHz in 2100 bands used for 3G services.