NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regularity Authority of India (TRAI) is well set to release a consultation paper on the roll out of 4G spectrum, even as the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grapples with the challenge of digital exclusion and non-adoption of broadband by small businesses.

“We will ready with a consultation paper on 4G in a week and expect the regulations to be in place in the next few months," TRAI Chairman J S Sarma announced here today. 
 
Speaking at a meeting organized by FICCI on ‘The Road to Broadband -- Investment & Innovation’, Sarma said the consultation paper will address issues such as adoption of an optic fibre network, cost of bandwidth, tariffs and the relationship between telecom service providers and internet service providers.

Dr Sarma said TRAI would aim at making broadband an alternative model for the delivery of governance. “We would like to see that broadband is used for improving human development and giving a fillip to agriculture and social sector issues such as healthcare and education." 
 
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski emphasized the economic opportunities arising out of extending broadband to unserved areas, adding that there was a clear co-relation between the adoption of broadband and increasing GDP.

He expressed concern over trends in the US indicating a widening gap between the supply of spectrum and the demand from mobile broadband 3G technology users. The US National Broadband Plan was focussing on decreasing the cost on investment through higher incentives and maximising the depth of infrastructure. It seeks to promote competition and transparency, public safety and accelerating the movement towards E-government.