LPFMDelicensing
From Www.india-gii.org
The following correspondence with the IT Ministry and the WPC will explain the issues, and clarify the current status, muddy as it is :-)
Sorry for some repetition below, but what do you do, when bureaucrats do not answer your questions? You ask them again!
Arun Mehta
Mr. Arun Shourie April 16, 2003 Minister of Telecommunications and IT New Delhi
Sir, We seek your intervention in a matter of serious concern for the hundreds of millions of poor people in this country. An action by some bureaucrats in your ministry has nipped in the bud a highly promising experiment in bringing the benefits of the Internet to people who cannot afford a phone line or a computer.
At Radiophony, we decided early on, that, unlike most other communications companies, we did not wish to focus our interest on that very small fraction of India that has access to such facilities, and knows English well enough to use the Internet. As we saw it, there is only one telecommunications device that the poor person can afford to own, indeed might already possess: the simple AM/FM radio. Any strategy that seeks to bring the benefits of modern communications to poor people cannot bypass this.
You are undoubtedly aware of the experiments at Radio Kothmale in Sri Lanka (http://www.kothmale.net/) and elsewhere, which allow illiterate people to access the Internet in a limited fashion, using their own mother-tongues. People send their questions to the radio station via a post card or a phone call. At the station, English-literate staff search the Net or encyclopaedias for the answer, and broadcast it in the local language via the radio station, a concept known by the term “radio-browsing” . At Radiophony, we have detailed ideas on how this might be extended to allow low-cost simultaneous translation, which would save considerable time at national conferences, as well as affordable multi-locational conferencing. We would be happy to elaborate on these.
While recognizing the importance of FM radio in bringing poor people into public debate, we were, of course, determined to keep within the bounds of what the government permits in this area. We were pleased to note that the government allowed the unlicensed use of cordless FM microphones, which are used on almost every public platform now, and Chinese-made models are indeed easily available in every electronics market for a little over Rs. 100. These microphones radiate a power of about 50mW, as do the remote car door openers that luxury cars routinely provide.
We adapted the design of a cordless microphone, using parts that are commonly available in small towns, wherever radios and TVs are repaired. We designed an efficient, low-cost antenna using the flat cable used to connect TV antennae, so that just 50mW of power would carry the signal about 400 meters. We also made a provision for attachment of an audio recorder. This system allows villages to set up community radio stations at a cost of only a few hundred rupees.
As partners for the pilot project, we were lucky to find the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty in Hyderabad, which was seeking to promote development in regions of extreme poverty, and was looking for an affordable means of communication for the members of their micro-finance self-help groups. Effectively, what we gave them is an ecologically-friendly public address system. The range is roughly the same as that of a blaring loudspeaker, however, our system allows multiple voices to co-exist (for instance, at the time of elections, each political party can set up its own, independent transmitter). Unlike in the case of the conventional PA system, the listener can choose, which source to tune her radio to – if her kids are studying, she can also switch all of them off. By effectively replacing a small number of large loudspeakers with a large distributed set of small, switchable ones, we not only save power, but also drastically reduce noise pollution. At the same time, the quality of sound reception improves, and the last house within range hears the sound almost as clearly as the nearest one.
Information about the pilot project, including detailed circuit diagram and parts list, have been made available at http://radiophony.com/html_files/oravakal.html.
Of course, when using such little power, even at this range, indoor reception is not available: the listener must attach a wire to the radio and suspend it within line of sight of the transmitting antenna.
The occasion for bringing this to your notice, is that, as we have been told, Mr. Sharad Chauhan of your Hyderabad Wireless Monitoring Unit, at the request of his Delhi-based superior, Mr. TP Narayanan, and the complaint of Mr. Ashok Kumar of Wireless Planing and Coordination, went to Oravakal, and seized the equipment (without any written warrant). For your reference, Oravakal is located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, being a tiny village about 20 km from Kurnool town, about 4-5 hours drive from Hyderabad.
Our request is simple: could we please participate in a discussion of a wireless policy that allows frivolous uses such as opening car doors and wireless microphones (used mostly for Karaoke), while denying poor people their only available access to modern telecommunications? If a transmitter of 50mW is illegal, how is it that no raids are conducted at the myriad shops in Palika Bazaar, Lajpat Rai market, and thousands of electronics shops around the country, which sell cordless microphones – while the Ministry sees fit to send a senior bureaucrat to the remote village of Oravakal, to terrorize some poor women trying to convince others to join their micro-finance system?
Surely the government isn’t arguing that the FM spectrum in Oravakal is crowded, or is going to be in the foreseeable future: at the moment, only one FM station can be received at the village, and we are unaware of any plan to significantly increase that number. As we all know, the FM band can accommodate dozens of such stations. Internationally accepted standards of broadcasting allow for about 100 stations to broadcast in the public band between 87.5 and 108 MHz, to an audience listening in the same geographical area.
The government seems to have no problem allowing Chinese made equipment to sell openly in the country, while Indian organizations (with far more laudable objectives), making equivalent equipment, are harassed. Is it then any wonder, that there is such little electronic innovation in the country? Our software industry has acknowledgedly achieved sterling success, and so can the hardware industry, but not if shackled in this way.
And talking of innovation in electronics, is it not ironic that FM radio, a technology we are only now allowing to any serious degree, is over sixty years old? Shouldn’t the experts in your ministry seek to encourage some innovation in this area, instead of trampling it underfoot?
We would be happy, at your convenience, to demonstrate our system to you, and discuss with you the promising possibilities of such technologies in achieving universal access.
Thanking you for your consideration,
Yours truly,
Arun Mehta
Government of India Ministry of Communications & IT Department of Telecommunications WPC Wing 20 Ashoka Road, Sanchar Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 001
No. R-11014/15/04-LR Dated 7th June 2004
Shri Fali S. Nariman, F-21/22, Hauz Khas Enclave, New Delhi – 110 016
Sub: Low power wireless – a social resource wasted
Sir,
Kindly refer to your letter dated 17th October 2003 addressed to the then Hon’ble Minister of Information and Broadcasting enclosing an e-mail Shri Vickram Crishna on the above subject. As per the enclosed e-mail from Shri Vickram Crishna, it is not clear on which technical parameters the network between the microphone and the loud speakers were being operated. However as per the National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP), 2002, the frequencies 36.5, 36.7, 37.1, 37.9, 160.9 & 161.8 MHz with 11K0F3E/180 K0F3E Emission and 50 mW Power are considered for Radio microphones. Any one intending to use these frequencies may make an application to WPC Wing, Ministry of Communications & IT for a licence.
In addition, use of the following frequencies for electronic gadgets with given parameters have been exempted from licensing requirement.
Frequency (range) Emission e.i.r.p.
26.26 – 27.28 MHz NON, A1, A2, A3, F1, F2, F3, PO 1 milli watt
5725 – 5735 MHz NON, A1, A2, A3, F1, F2, F3, PO 1 milli watt
146.0125 MHz 10 K0 F1D 1 milli watt
This is for your kind perusal.
Yours sincerely,
(Ashok Kumar) Joint Wireless Adviser to the Govt. of India
Copy for information to Shri R.K. Goyal, Deputy Secretary (BPL & BDF), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shashtri Bhavan, New Delhi 110 001 w.r. to his D.O. letter No. 212/167/2003-B(D) dated 14.5.2004.
March 16, 2005 To: The WPC, Mr. P.K. Garg
Dear Mr. Garg,
We have tried very hard to put across to you, why the women of the micro-finance self-help group in Oravakal village should be permitted to use a low-cost equivalent of a cordless microphone and FM receivers, instead of a public address system with loudspeakers. You have expressed your inability to move on this matter. Before we take the matter to a higher instance, could we please agree on what the facts of the case are.
On 17 February, 2003, shortly after the television channel "Star News" aired a programme on its scheduled 9pm news slot, about how well the village was using what it called "Mana Radio" (meaning Our Radio), your office visited Oravakal village, seized the equipment without warrant or paper of any sort. Next day, when they came to your Hyderabad office asking for a receipt, the equipment was handed back to them, and the poor women were told that they would have to seek permission before using the device.
This action was taken even though there was no complaint filed with you by the ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which is responsible for the FM spectrum.
As designers of this equipment, we requested you to rectify the situation. We asked several questions, which are listed along with your response:
1. How did the WPC allow the rich to use cordless FM microphones for frivolous purposes such as karaoke, if poor villagers could not utilize them to raise awareness of laudable programmes such as micro-finance? Your response was the informative statement, "Use of certain wireless toys and gadgets under certain conditions are exempted from licensing requirements, in specified frequency bands." We asked what these toys, conditions and bands were. Your response in effect was, that all devices that transmit above 1 mW need clearance from SACFA.
If this were the law, we pointed out, you would need clearance from several dozen government departments, before you could put up a tubelight in your house.
Does the WPC have licenses for all the tubelights it uses? The point we are making, is that this is not found in any developed country, but if the WPC has chosen to enforce it at Oravakal, then it should also do the same within its own premises.
We await a meaningful response on this matter.
2. How was it, that everyone from the President down, publicly uses FM transmitters of the same power as that used by the women of Oravakal, in the form of cordless microphones on stage or at conferences? You stated that these were of a different frequency, upon which, we offered to take your representative to Palika Bazaar, a stone's throw from your office, to buy one which could be picked up by any FM radio.
Your response is awaited.
3. We asked how there could be any interference when Oravakal could only receive one FM station in a band in which dozens could be accommodated? At a conference organised by UNDP, you did state that 50mW transmitters will cause substantial interference. Thereupon, we sent you detailed calculations, that showed that only within 9 feet (i.e., less than 3 meters) of the antenna, was there any possibility of interference. We asked if your inspectors had taken any readings at Oravakal.
Your response: none.
4. We pointed out that the poor can only afford one telecommunications device, the simple AM-FM radio, and hence, they deserved special consideration. Indeed, in conjunction with the Internet, such low-power FM transmitters would constitute an efficient network that would allow the government to bring information about its programmes to every last villager.
No response from you, on a matter of such national importance.
5. We pointed out that this technology could substantially reduce noise pollution. Indeed, its deployment has allowed the city of Mumbai to revive music concerts such as The Banganga Festival, at traditional venues which were under court prohibition under existing laws prohibiting noise pollution. See the attached news article published in a leading national daily newspaper, which points out that the neighbours now have a different complaint: they are no longer able to enjoy the concert for free!
6. Your general response has been, that we should take this up with the ministry for Information and Broadcasting. However, you have not provided us with any reason as to why we should do this, when that ministry has never publicly expressed the slightest concern at what we were doing, even when specifically asked.
If you feel that the above does not accurately reflect the status of the discussion between us, by all means do give us your considered and detailed corrections in response. For your convenience, you are being mailed an electronic copy at wawpc@vsnl.com
Sincerely Dr. Arun Mehta Chief Technology Officer
