Qualcomm’s Rumored Bid in the Indian BWA Auction Faces Several Obstacles

Author: Bhavya Khanna, Research Analyst, Wireless

Published: 17 Mar 2010

Qualcomm’s recent announcement to enter India’s Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum auctions has opened a new front in the 4G technology war. The Indian BWA spectrum on offer is all in the 2300 MHz band. While the Notice Inviting Applicants does not mention a technology requirement for its use, most bidders have so far expressed interest in using WiMAX technology – that is, until Qualcomm entered the fray. What the notice inviting applicants does specify is that any technology used in this spectrum must be compliant with ITU, TEC, or any other International Standards Organization and that details of the technology used must be furnished to the regulator prior to a commercial launch. Given that LTE has the backing of both Qualcomm and major industrial bodies such as the GSMA, this should not prove much of an obstacle. However, there are regulatory hurdles that Qualcomm must pass if it wants to make India a showcase for a wide-scale LTE data network.

The full text of this Insight is available to subscribers of the Mobile Operator Strategies Research Service and the Mobile Networks Research Service and the 4G Research Service.

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