USER INSTRUCTIONS FOR SACFA MODULE

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 Contents
Introduction to SACFA .................................................................................................................. 3
The requirements for SACFA ......................................................................................................... 3
The various categories under which an applicant can apply for the SACFA clearance. ....... 3
Mast height clearance category ...................................................................................................... 3
Exemption from Mast Height Clearance Category ..................................................................... 5
Additional Antenna Category ........................................................................................................ 5
Full siting category........................................................................................................................... 6
Procedure of Registering in SACFA? ........................................................................................... 7
Details of SACFA processing fees................................................................................................. 8
Digital signing of the documents applied to in SACFA ............................................................. 8

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 User Instructions for SACFA Module

Introduction to SACFA

The Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations (SACFA) is a

high level committee chaired by Secretary (DOT)/Chairman, Telecom Commission.
Heads of major wireless users/administrative ministries of the Govt. of India,
Member (Technology), Telecom Commission, and Wireless Adviser to the Govt. of
India, Joint Secretary, DoT are its members. The Wireless Planning and
Coordination (WPC) wing of the Ministry of Communications provides secretarial
help to the committee. Joint Wireless Adviser, WPC wing is the member-secretary of
the Committee.

The requirements for SACFA

Once the grant of frequency/iesare agreed by the WPC wing and a decision
letter/Frequency Authorisation is issued, the applicant must obtain a clearance
from the SACFA secretariat by filing an application online with the approved
technical parameters mentioned in decision letter. SACFA clearances are issued
after getting 'no objection' from various SACFA members who have to carry out
detailed technical evaluation including field surveys, etc. at times they have to
obtain evaluations from their field units. The technical evaluation is done primarily
for-

a. Aviation hazards.

b. Obstruction to line of site of existing/planned

networks

c. Interference (Electro Magnetic Interference EMI)/Electro Magnetic

Compatibility (EMC)) to existing and proposed networks.

The various categories under which an applicant can apply for the SACFA
clearance.
The various categories for which the applicant can apply for in the SACFA system
are as given below.

d. Mast Height Clearance

e. Exemption from Mast Height Clearance
f. Full Siting Category
g. Additional Antenna Category

Mast height clearance category

Those fixed wireless stations whose mast/tower height do not exceed 30 meters
above ground level and are operating in certain frequency bands with limited output
power are covered under this category.
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Sites for HF/VHF/UHF:

Those fixed wireless stations whose mast/tower height do not exceed

30 meters above ground level and are operating in certain frequency bands
with limited output power as given below are covered under this category:

a. All HF stations with power output of 125 watts or less.

b. All VHF stations below 174 MHz with power output of 50 watts or less
except
c. broadcast stations.

d. All VHF stations in the frequency range 174-230 MHz with output
power up to 25 watts except broadcast stations.

e. Broadcasting stations in the band 30 - 230 MHz with an output power

output up to 100 watts.

f. All VHF/ UHF stations with a power output of 10 watts or less.

Sites for V-SAT/ Micro-Earth Stations (C-, Extended C and KU bands) with power
output up to 5 watts:

(A) Antenna size- 1.8/ 2.4 Meters:

In case the total height of antenna including support structure is

30mteres or less from the ground level, the siting application need to
be processed under Mast Height Category.

(B) Antenna size- More than 2.4 Meters and up to 3.8 meters:

If the antenna height is more than 4 metres but less than 20

metres AGL and the distance from airport reference point is less than
7 kms, clearance need to be obtained from Army Hqs., Air Hqs.,
Naval Hqs., JCES and AAI under Mast Height Category.

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Exemption from Mast Height Clearance Category

The following sites will be considered in the Exemption from the Mast Height
Clearance Category

Sites for HF/VHF/UHF:

Those mast height cases which satisfy the following conditions

are exempted from mast height clearance:-

(i) Antenna mast should be installed on the rooftop of the

building.

(ii) The height of mast including antenna to be installed on the

rooftop should not be more than 3 meters.
(iii) The site should be at least 3 KM away from the nearest airport.

Sites for V-SAT, Micro-Earth Stations ( C, EXTENDED C & KU bands with power
output upto 5 watts:

(A) Antenna size- 1.8/ 2.4 Meters:

If the antenna is to be installed on the rooftop of an existing

building with mast height not exceeding 3 metres from rooftop and
which is at least 3 kms away from the nearest airport 'no objection'
from Department/Organization may not be necessary. These cases
will be processed under Mast Height Exemption Category. The site
details are to be furnished to Secretary SACFA in the Mast Height
(VSAT) application proforma(WPC S-4).

(B) Antenna size- More than 2.4 Meters and up to 3.8 meters:

If the antenna diameter of VSAT is more than 2.4metres and

upto3.8metres and antenna height up to 4 metres above ground level
beyond the distance of 7 km from airport reference point (ARP) 'no
objection' from any of the Departments may not be necessary. These
cases will be processed under Mast Height Exemption (VSAT).

Additional Antenna Category

Under this category siting clearance applications are received when the same or
another applicant desires to put additional antenna on the tower below the earlier
approved Antennae Siting Clearance. Application received under additional
antenna category is accorded WPC acceptance no. after receipt of the Hard Copy of
undertaking and application along with required processing fee (Rs. 1000/= per site
bharatkoshchallan No). Acceptance number itself is treated as Siting Clearnce and
no Siting Clearance letters etc. are required to be issued to the applicant.

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 Sites for Earth Station:

The Earth Station dishes within 50 mts. from an already cleared site may be
treated underthis category provided the height of proposed installation,
including, building height does not exceed the height of already cleared
site/mast.

Full siting category

The following fixed stations are covered under the full siting category:

a. All HF stations with power output more than 125 watts.

b. All VHF stations below 174 MHz with power output more 50 watts.

c. All VHF stations in the frequency range 174-230 MHz with power output
more than 25 watts.

d. Broadcasting stations in the frequency band 30-230 MHz with power

output more than 100 watts.

e. All UHF stations with power output more than 10 watts

f. Station in microwave, line of sight, radio-relay systems.

g. All radar stations, Satellite Communication System (including Earth

stations), radio navigation and radio location system.

h. All VSATs / micro-earth stations with transmitter power more than 5

watts

i. Receiving stations in services like Space Research, Radio astronomy and

other sensitive receiving systems operating above 1 Ghz.

j. Any other change in existing parameters other than reduction in power

and mast height of the approved parameters.

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Procedure of Registering in SACFA?

Applicant has to get registered in the SARAL SANCHAR web portal of the
Department of Telecommunications and file the application of SACFA as per the
points mentioned below.

a) The SACFA module can be accessed by any user registered as a Company in the
SARAL Sanchar portal at the URL - https://saralsanchar.gov.in/ .

b) All applicants shall first register themselves in the SARAL Sanchar Portal. Login
credentials shall be sent on registered Mobile number and e-mail, using which
applicants may login into the system.

c) Applicants shall make sure that all the relevant documents are made available
and are uploaded in the SARAL Sanchar portal in the PDF format. All documents
must be signed digitally. Also the applicants shall also make sure that all the
information mentioned in the application is accurate.

d) The applicants are also requested to make the per site SACFA processing fees of
Rs.1000/- (Rs. One thousand only) under head of account 127500103050200
through the Bharatkosh/ Non Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP) portal.

e) All payments should be made through NTRP portal of Government of India,

https://bharatkosh.gov.in.For details, please visit
https://bharatkosh.gov.in/Static/Userguide.aspx. The payment receipt shall be
uploaded on SARAL Sanchar Portal separately.

f) Henceforth, all wireless users including TSPs are required to apply for
acceptance of applications for SACFA clearance online through the SARAL
Sanchar website of the Department of Telecommunications at the URL (
https://saralsanchar.gov.in/). Hence you are kindly requested to register in the
SARAL Sanchar portal as a Company user by furnishing the necessary data and
then apply for the SACFA clearances through the SARAL Sanchar portal.

g) It is further informed that in case of any queries and clarifications, email may be
sent to support-sacfa@nic.in or the applicants may also contact the concerned
officers on 011-23752490/011-23761015 . The applicants can also make use of the
Help desk facility in the SARAL Sanchar portal
(https://saralsanchar.gov.in/ticket/tktadd.php?var=1) for any related issues.

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Details of SACFA processing fees

Rs 1000/-( Rupees One thousand INR) is the one time SACFA processing fees per
siteunder head of account 127500103050200 through Bharatkosh.

Digital signing of the documents applied to in SACFA

The applications should be digitally signed using a Class – 2 or Class 3 signature and
digital signature should be there on all pages of the application.

Additional instructions/guidelines

i. The Telecom Service Providers(TSPs)/Captive users, who are applying for

SACFA site clearances may ensure that while furnishing the details of the Site
Location, completeness of address/site locations details (i.e details like
Building/Plot No etc.), to the maximum extent possible, shall be ensured.

ii. While furnishing the data regarding the Frequency bands a common standard as
mentioned below may be used by all TSPs.
Frequency Band of Operation with
Sl No Band Details Freq. Unit
1. 800 MHz 824-844/869-889 MHz
2. 900 MHz 890-915/935-960 MHz
3. 1800 MHz 1710-1765/1805-1860 MHz
4. 2100 MHz 1939-1979/2129-2169 MHz
5. 2300 MHz 2300-2380 MHz
6. 2500 MHz 2535-2555,2635-2655/ MHz
iii. All applicants are requested to furnish the details of the SACFA IDs also in their
Undertaking, which is submitted in hard copy for the generation of Site
Acceptance IDs.
iv. The Undertaking, enclosed with the original applications, should be signed by
the Authorised signatory and no sign stamps must be used.
v. The TSPs/Captive Users may also ensure that the challans used for multiple
applications are all unique and the applications contain only as many as sites for
which the payment has been made through the Bharatkosh portal.

The applications which are not adhering to the above guidelines will be rejected by the
SACFA section.

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