What is SACFA?

SACFA is short for Standing Advisory Committee on Frequency Allocation (India). It provides recommendation of frequency reallocation and creates a frequency allocation plan. In order to run a radio station or anything similar within a certain frequency, the service provider has to get a SACFA clearance certificate.

Who requires SACFA Clearance Certificate or SACFA approval?

Those who want to broadcast their channels at a certain frequency (radio stations), or conduct operations that can only be done within certain frequencies, have to get a SACFA clearance certificate before they get the final approval to start their business. These include:

• DTH broadcast services
• Internet Service Providers
• Cellular Services
• Community Radio Services
• Cellular Services

Note: Getting SACFA clearance is just the part of the process of getting authorization to conduct the above-mentioned operations. SACFA clearance certification begins after the operator gets the letter of intent from the government bodies issuing the aforementioned licenses.

SACFA Members

Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations is a high-level committee chaired by the chairman of the Telecom Commission, Department of Telecommunications.

The members of the SACFA committee include such as:

• Heads of major wireless users
• Head of Administrative ministries of the Central Government
• Member (Technology)
• Telecom Commission
• Wireless Adviser to the Govt. of India
• Joint Secretary
• Department of Telecommunications

The WPC wing of the DoT secretarially aids the SACFA committee. Also, Joint Wireless Adviser, WPC wing, is the member-secretary of the Committee. Thirdly, the Executive Director-Telecom Development ( ED-TD) Railway Board is a member of SACFA, representing the Ministry of Railways.

Functions of the SACFA committee

The following are the issues on which the SACFA committee tables its suggestions:

• Major frequency allocation
• Formulation of National Frequency Allocation Plan
• Making recommendations on various issues related to International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
• Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT)
• Problems referred to the Committee by various wireless users, siting clearance of all wireless installations in the country, etc.

The SACFA clearance certificate is obtained after getting 'no objection' from SACFA members. So, these SACFA members have to perform a detailed technical evaluation. Subsequently, they have to obtain evaluations from their field units. Hence, these technical evaluations are done primarily for

• Aviation hazards
• Obstruction to the line of sight of existing or planned networks
• Interference to existing and proposed networks.

Documents required for SAFCA Approval

• Letter of Intent
• Filled SACFA application form
• Filled frequency allocation form.
• Demand draft of the processing fee
• Map of your station/ISP/Cellular Services
• A covering letter for the submission addressed to The Secretary of SACFA

What is the process of SACFA clearance certification?

SACFA procedure is as follows:

• Register at the WPC website.
• File the application for SACFA clearance.
• File the application for frequency allocation.
• Submission of the hard copies of the application and the required documents to SACFA. 

Tower Installation process

You can file for the SACFA clearance certificate for installing the tower by submitting self-declaration or automated time-bound approvals on the SaralSanchar Portal of DoT. The procedure of SACFA clearance for tower installation is as follows:

File the SACFA cases indicating the following technical parameters on SaralSanchar Portal of DoT:

1. Frequency,
2. Radiated Power,
3. Emission,
4. Bandwidth,
5. Antenna Parameters

Furnish and upload the following documents along with the application:

1. 1. Frequency earmarking or assignment letter
   2. Challan copy
   3. Self-declaration or undertaking
   4. any other document (if required)

• Pay for the application processing fee through the integrated Bharatkosh portal as soon as the payment gateway is integrated with SaralSanchar.
• Post submission, the system will clear cases automatically.
• Afterwards, download the system-generated SACFA clearance from the SaralSanchar Portal.
• If it's a case of not meeting the auto-settled criteria of AAI/JCES, then the application will be processed by Members through their integrated systems. It will be cleared or rejected within 30 days.
• Upon clearance, applicants can download the system-generated SACFA clearance from the SaralSanchar Portal of DoT.

How can we help?

Registrationwala provides complete assistance to you with matters concerned with SACFA approval. Our services include:

1.     Application filing

2.     Document drafting

3.     Department follow-up

Simply put, we take all matters concerning SACFA registration on your behalf. Reach out to us for more information.