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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper on “Issues related to prescribing minimum Channel spacing, within a license service area, in FM Radio sector in India”on 08thDecember 2011, inviting written comments from the stakeholders by 26thDecember 2011 and counter comments by 02 January 2012.

It has extended the last date for receipt of written comments to 6th January 2012 and 13th January for the receipt of counter comments following a request from the stakeholders.

Soon after the Phase III guidelines were issued, A and A+ cities started demanding for more FM channel. Trai had then sought the opinion of stakeholders whether it would be acceptable if the minimum channel spacing within a license service area can reduced to 400 KHz from the current level of 800 KHz.

Furthermore, the paper asked if it can be reduced, then the stakeholders should suggest what the minimum level should be, justifying their answers with reasoning.

The paper remarked that, issues such as the viability and desirability of having more number of channels in the interest of the stakeholders, selectivity of FM receivers available with the consumers ( such as mobile handsets, car radios, and other receivers), transmission from a single or multiple transmission setups may please be factored in should also be considered.

The paper also countered the implications of reducing or non-reducing the minimum channel spacing within a license service area. It said that by reducing separation between the two adjoining channels government will get more number of channels and will collect more license fees through auctions.

The paper also pointed that a second solution suggested by the operators requires a separate common transmission infrastructure (CTI) which includes transmitting tower, combiners, feeder cable, transmitting antenna etc. Effectively there would be two CTIs, one existing and another new one.