Cabinet ends 8-year sharing stalemate, earmarks spectrum for defence (Roundup).

The union cabinet recently ended an eight-year-long dispute of spectrum sharing between the defence and telecom sectors by earmarking bands for exclusive use of the former while also specifying use of remaining airwaves for civilian purposes in areas such as civil aviation and space.

The Cabinet Committe on Economic Affairs (CCEA) also approved four-laning of two key national highway sections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media after a cabinet meeting that nine slots will be for exclusive use of defence in between 3 MHz and 40 gigahertz.

'Recently, I met (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar with our officials and discussed the matter. This matter (spectrum swapping) was pending for eight years. Defence released 5 MHz of 2,100 bands for telecom usage,' Prasad said.

'This shows the manner in which our government takes effective decisions,' he added.

Prasad said spectrum was mainly used by defence, communications, space, civil aviation and information
and broadcasting.

BS