MUMBAI, May 1: The wireless planning coordination wing (WPC) of the ministry of communication has approved the increase in the frequency allocated to the four cellular operators in Delhi and Mumbai.

The frequency allocated in the 800/900 Mhz spectrum has been increased from the 4.5 Mhz to 6.2 Mhz. The four operators who have gained from the move are Air Tel Service of Bharti, Essartel, Max Touch and BPL Mobile.

Sources said the frequency allocation for each of the four metro operators has been increased to accommodate the rapid increase in the cellphone subscribers with combined subscriber base that has crossed the 2.5 lakh mark.

The annual report of the department of communications says the cellular operators in Mumbai and Delhi had made representations to WPC for additional GSM mobile channels in the 800/900 Mhz. Additional frequency requirements projected by four cellular operators of Mumbai and Delhi have been coordinated and assigned examined, says the report.

The need for an additional frequency in Mumbai can be gauged by the fact that both BPL Mobile and Max Touch, the two cellular operators, plan to install their second mobile switching centre (MSC) later this year.

Bharti operated Airtel Service has already gone in for its second mobile switching centre in New Delhi which is the largest cellular market in the country with subscriber base at 1.4 lakh.

Sources in BPL Mobile said that the second switch would augment the capacity of the old switch by an additional 75 per cent. The expansion of the existing switch will double the existing capacity of the switch over the next two months.

The augmented capacity will cater to the need of approximately one lakh mobilephone customers in the city, they said.

By the end of the month, the operating system of the existing switch at Mahim will also be upgraded to the advanced feature level which will enable the company to offer additional value-added products and services to its customers.

BPL sources say Mumbai is experiencing a rapid growth phase and an additional one lakh customers are expected to subscribe to BPL mobile service in 1997-98.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.