30 June 2015 tipped as date for India’s DoT to publish spectrum trading rules

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is expected to complete and publish its final rulings and guidance on spectrum sharing and spectrum trading in the country on 30 June 2015, the Economic Times of India reports, citing telecoms secretary Rakesh Garg. India’s mobile operators – supported by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) – have long bemoaned the lack of any transparent guidance on the matter, which they argue has hampered efforts to better utilise underused spectrum in the country, impacting on operating efficiency and costs. Rakesh Garg has reportedly reassured the market, though, that the new draft guidelines will reduce spectrum costs and enable mobile providers to operate more efficiently, hinting strongly that spectrum sharing and trading guidelines are ‘a high priority’.