The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has prepared a draft Cabinet note for creation of defence band and defence interest zones (DIZ) as part of resolving the spectrum swap issue with the defence ministry. DoT’s note has come as a result of the agreement between the Ministry of Communications and IT and the Ministry of Defence regarding the spectrum swap issue.

Earlier, according to the in-principle agreement signed between the two ministries in 2009, the defence ministry had agreed to surrender the spectrum in the 2100 MHz band conditioned on the provisions for the defence band and DIZ. While the defence ministry has been willing to vacate 150 MHz of spectrum out of 300 MHz in this band, DoT is of the view that around 230 MHz of this band should be given out for commercial uses. Given the differences over the quantum of spectrum to be vacated in the 1700-2000 MHz band, the agreement has not been fulfilled. 

However, DoT has now resolved the issue pertaining to the use of spectrum by defence forces in all the bands and following the Cabinet’s approval of the note, the spectrum used by defence forces will be moved to the defence band in the next five-seven years. Also, about 150 MHz of spectrum in the 2100 MHz band will be available for commercial purposes.