Telecom service providers may have to wait as long as 15 years to make commercial use of the defence services' spectrum.
The defence ministry has worked out a 15-year plan to replace its existing equipment with spectrum-efficient machines.
"Owing to the large size of the Indian armed forces and budgetary constraints, it is not possible to modernise all at once, as five generations of equipment are always concurrently in service. Re-farming of spectrum will, therefore, be a slow process keeping a long-term perspective in mind," the defence ministry said in a note to the department of telecommunication.
The defence ministry pointed out that the armed forces had a plan to replace the equipment, "but not before using it till it was functionally obsolete and not technologically obsolete".
Operators, however, may get some temporary relief, as the defence ministry, in its report to be submitted by the month-end, is expected to release some spectrum for commercial use.
According to sources in the department of telecommunication, the report is likely to coordinate the release of additional spectrum in the 1800 Mhz band for GSM operators and also specify the long-term coordination plan for releasing spectrum in both the 2000 Mhz and IMT 2000 bands.
In exchange, the defence ministry is likely to seek compensation and demand alternative spectrum in the 2000-2003 Mhz band.
The department of defence was unlikely to vacate the 1900 Mhz frequency as an additional band for CDMA operators "due to overriding defence considerations", officials said.
This frequency is being used for the country's air defence network. The report will also specify the financial compensation that has to be provided to the defence forces for vacating the radio waves including previous unpaid spectrum dues to the tune of Rs 1,300 crore (Rs 13 billion) which the department of telecommunications owes the department of defence.
In defence
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Owing to the size and budgetary constraints, it is not possible to modernise equipment all at once
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Defence ministry may release additional spectrum in the 1800 Mhz band for GSM operators
- It may also specify the long-term coordination plan for releasing spectrum in both the 2000 Mhz and IMT 2000 bands
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