Telecom Policy
Trai inputs sought on rolling out authorisation mechanism
"Trai met the telecom operators and internet service providers today (Thursday) to seek their inputs on the authorisation structure. The players can provide their comments by early next week, following which Trai will issue a consultation paper," an official told ET on condition of anonymity. The Telecommunications Act, which came into force on June 26, calls for a simple regulatory framework by abolishing the license regime and replacing it with an authorisation mechanism.
Know all about the Telecom Act which came into effect on June 26
(DoT) initiated the process in July 2022 and a draft Bill was put out for consultation in September that year. During the consultation process, 60 ministries, 35 associations, 89 companies including seven telcos and internet service providers, and over 700 other entities responded. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2023, and was passed by the Lower House of Parliament on December 20, 2023 and the Rajya Sabha on the following day.
Airtel pays Rs 6,857 cr to buy 97 MHz of spectrum
Bharti Airtel acquired 97 MHz of spectrum for Rs 6,857 crore in the recent auctions that concluded swiftly after seven rounds. This purchase includes renewing expiring licenses and enhancing its mid-band spectrum in key circles, solidifying Airtel’s position with the largest mid-band spectrum pool in India. Bharti Hexacom, Airtel's subsidiary, bought an additional 15 MHz for Rs 1,001 crore.
Rs 96,000-crore spectrum auction of 5G airwaves to kick off today
India's 5G airwaves auction starting Tuesday is expected to be subdued, with telecom giants having adequate holdings and low consumer 5G adoption. Analysts predict Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea will collectively spend around Rs 12,500 crore, focusing on renewals and selective acquisitions. Interest costs for deferred payments are higher this year, with Airtel likely to be the top spender.
Telecom Act 2023 based on principles of inclusion, growth, responsiveness for developed India
The Telecommunications Act, 2023, effective from June 26, emphasizes inclusion, security, growth, and responsiveness for a developed India, enabling government control for national interests, research and development funding, and fair infrastructure access for network expansion.
Some sections of Telecom Act to come into force from June 26
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 26th Day of June 2024, as the date on which the provisions of sections 1, 2, 10 to 30, 42 to 44, 46, 47, 50 to 58, 61 and 62 of the said Act shall come into force,” a gazette notification issued late Friday said. Officials told ET that the new Telecommunications Act and these sections have come into force.
Centre puts guidelines for curbing pesky call menace in public domain; invites comments
According to estimates, India ranks among the largest markets for SMS phishing, amid a growing mobile user base and low phone tariffs. Some industry estimates say one of every 12 people is vulnerable every month to phishing. More than 120-150 million phishing messages are sent every month, with 60-75 million unique citizens vulnerable to attacks. Roughly 300,000 people get scammed, but only 35,000-45,000 report these incidents.
Govt issues draft guidelines to curb unsolicited biz messages, calls; seeks public comments
Consumer Affairs Ministry seeks public comments on draft guidelines to curb unsolicited and unwanted business communications like promotional calls and text messages until July 21.
Under govt pressure, telcos begin trials of caller ID display service to curb spam calls
Telecom operators have started trials for caller ID services in Mumbai and Haryana following pressure from the government and TRAI. The CNAP service aims to display the caller's name during incoming calls to curb spam and fraud calls.
Trai won’t charge users for multiple SIMs
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has denied reports of planning to charge consumers for multiple SIMs. Trai clarified that there are no proposals for fees on numbering resources, emphasising efficient allocation. Trai's discussion paper aims to enhance telecom services through effective use of telecommunications identifiers.
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DoT dials cops to stop network gear theft
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a directive to tackle rampant theft of critical network gear causing Rs 800 crore losses for telcos, disrupting 4G/5G expansions and affecting mobile coverage quality.
Govt bodies and banks to use 160 and 161 numbering series for service calls: DoT
The demarcation will largely benefit financial institutions such as bank to alert customers on use cases such as credit card payment reminders. Previously, subscribers had stopped receiving transactional calls assuming that a number originating from 140 would be spam.
GST to be paid by telcos along with instalments towards spectrum charges
The spectrum will be assigned for 20 years and successful bidders will be allowed to make payments in 20 equal annual instalments in the coming mega auction.
Your phone bill could rise by up to 25% post election
The report said while the quantum of hike may appear large, it should be manageable for both urban and rural users, especially as data usage is sticky. For urban households, subscribers' spending on telecom would go up to 3.6% of total expenditure from 3.2%, it said, while for rural subscribers spending would increase to 5.9% from 5.2%.
DoT set to seek clarity, security clearance from NSCS on satcom
Officials familiar with the matter revealed that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is expected to approach the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) to seek approval and clarification regarding satellite communications, particularly concerning data transfer, usage, and the equipment and components utilized in satellite gateways located in India.
Trai pushes for spectrum sharing among telcos in bid to promote optimum resource utilisation
The regulator recommended inter-band spectrum sharing between service providers in a licensed service area (LSA), along with suggesting exploring the possibility of allowing service providers to access globally harmonised spectrum bands assigned to government agencies or other non-telecom entities through authorised shared access (ASA) technique-based spectrum-sharing. Presently, sharing of active infrastructure is limited to antenna, feeder cable, Node B, Radio Access Network (RAN) and transmission system only.
