COAI Challenges Direct Spectrum Allocation to Enterprises

The Cellular Operators Association of India argues against direct spectrum allocation to enterprises, citing cost, regulatory, and security concerns. COAI advocates for telecom service providers to facilitate enterprise 5G needs through spectrum leasing or network slicing, ensuring security and revenue protection in India's telecom landscape.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has expressed strong opposition to the direct allocation of spectrum to enterprises. The industry body for telecom operators cites a range of issues including cost burdens, regulatory discrepancies, and security-related threats as reasons for its stance.

COAI highlights the importance of fulfilling enterprise 5G requirements through licensed Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) via spectrum leasing or network slicing. Such an approach ensures national security, revenue protection, and maintains regulatory balance in a rapidly evolving telecom ecosystem, according to the association.

The association, which includes major players like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, warns that setting up independent private networks would mislead enterprises with an apparent lower cost which actually involves high capital expenditure and operational challenges. It stresses that telecom operators are better equipped to handle these tasks efficiently.

(With inputs from agencies.)