GSM Association joins Indian spectrum row (CNET Asia)

The GSM Association, a trade association comprising over 600 global GSM operators, has urged the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India's telecommunications regulator, to refrain from releasing the 1900MHz band to CDMA operators like Reliance and Tata.

This band forms part of the ITU-defined core radio spectrum for 3G services and has been allocated as such in the vast majority of other countries.

GSMA wants TRAI to reserve the spectrum for 3G services which will facilitate international roaming.

The CDMA operators want TRAI to release the spectrum for future expansion of their 2G services.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has opposed this move and now has the support of the GSM Association.