SERVICE AREA (TELECOM CIRCLES/ METROS) AND THE AREASCOVERED BY THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS LICENSE

SERVICE AREA (TELECOM CIRCLES/ METROS) AND THE AREASCOVERED BY THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS LICENSE

Service Area (Telecom Circles / Metros) and their coverage for license purpose

For giving telecom licenses in India, the country has been divided into 22 Telecom Service Areas, which are called Telecom Circles and Metro Circles. This classification has been done by Department of Telecommunications (DoT), whose main purpose is better regulation of telecom services, license management and spectrum allocation.

Metro Circles (3 Circles):

Metro Circles cover those big cities where the density of telecom users is very high. These include:

• Delhi Metro Circle – Delhi NCR, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon
• Mumbai Metro Circle – Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan
• Kolkata Metro Circle – Kolkata, Howrah and surrounding urban areas

Telecom Circles (19 Circles):

The remaining regions have been divided state-wise as Telecom Circles. Some circles cover multiple states or UTs as well

Example Coverage:

• Maharashtra Circle – Maharashtra & Goa (excluding Mumbai Metro)
• Gujarat Circle – Gujarat, Daman, Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli
• Tamil Nadu Circle – Tamil Nadu & Puducherry (excluding Yanam & Mahe)
• Kerala Circle – Kerala, Lakshadweep & Mahe
• UP (East) and UP (West) – Uttar Pradesh is divided into 2 circles
• North East Circle – Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur

Some Important Points:

1. License is Area Specific: Every telecom operator has to take a separate license for the area in which it wants to operate.

2. Spectrum Allocation is also done Circle-wise: This ensures interference control and efficient service delivery.

3. ISP, Mobile, Broadband & Other Licenses are also issued as per this classification.

4. Small UTs have been Merged into Nearby State Circles for administrative ease.

Conclusion:

This structure of Telecom Circles and Metro Areas ensures that telecom companies can efficiently maintain regulatory compliance and service quality standards. Each operator is required to apply for license as per its coverage area.