TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Jio acquires additional spectrum in 1800 MHz band for Rs 973 cr in two circles
Reliance Industries has secured additional spectrum in the 1800 MHz band for Bihar and West Bengal in a recent spectrum auction. The acquisition aims to meet geography-specific demand and ensure a high-quality customer experience. The total cost of the spectrum is Rs 973.63 crore. The acquisition expands Jio's spectrum footprint to 26,801 MHz and enables the company to deploy the largest amount of spectrum across India on bandwidth-efficient technologies like 4G and 5G.
Government can take control of all telecom networks in times of emergency under new Telecom Act
The Telecommunications Act will establish Digital Bharat Nidhi for funding research and development instead of just supporting rural telecom services. It supersedes existing telecom rules under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Wireless Telegraphy Act (1933).
TRAI broadens scope of telecom consumer education fund
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday amended regulations 6 and 13 of the Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF) principal rules to enable utilisation of the fund for expenses relating to preparation, maintenance, audit of accounts, and for the participation of representatives of consumer groups attending meetings of the Committee for Utilisation of Telecommunication Consumers Education & Protection Fund (CUTCEF).
Jyotiraditya Scindia is new telecom minister
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Minister of Communications in the Modi Cabinet 3.0, faces key challenges in overseeing the 5G spectrum auction, ensuring the survival of Vodafone Idea, and implementing new telecom rules. His role also involves making decisions on satellite spectrum usage and improving the quality of telecom services for consumers. Scindia's return to the Cabinet marks a significant political journey from the Congress to the BJP, highlighting his academic background and past political affiliations.
Modi 3.0: Industry seeks roadmap to cement India's lead in global digital arena, vows support
The Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) has expressed full support for India's digital and telecom transformation under the new government, emphasising the need for a clear roadmap to solidify the country's leadership in digital infrastructure. DIPA highlighted the success of initiatives like Digital India and PM WiFi Access Network in enabling broad digital adoption, with Director General Tilak Raj Dua stressing the industry's readiness to collaborate with the government.
Trai reviewing norms for inactive landline and mobile connections, seeks feedback
The telecom regulator is seeking input on defining inactive landline and mobile connections as part of a discussion paper for a revised national numbering plan. It also seeks industry suggestions on reusing numbering resources from inactive connections.
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DoT to undertake MSME survey to push industry 4.0 applications
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans a 60-day survey of MSMEs to aid their adoption of 5G and 6G technologies. The survey aims to understand the challenges MSMEs face in adapting to Industry 4.0 technologies, targeting at least 10 sectors to foster innovation. Proposals are due by June 11, 2024.
5G spectrum auction put off again till June 25
This is the second time the spectrum sale has been pushed back. It was originally scheduled on May 20, and was initially deferred to June 6, in the wake of the general elections. Now, mock auctions will be conducted on June 13 and 14, the DoT said in its official notification amending the auction rules. This time round, 5G airwaves in eight bands — the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3.3 GHz and 26 GHz bands — worth over Rs 96,000 crore at base prices, will be on sale.
Telecom gear makers seek 2-year extension for security testing of customers' WiFi
Telecom gear manufacturers are pushing to delay the mandatory security testing deadline for WiFi CPE and IP routers, requesting a two-year extension and voluntary certification. They cited high costs and limited accredited labs. The Department of Telecommunications had previously extended the application start date to January 1, 2024, and then to July 1, 2024, with further extensions for certified models.
DoT mulls using drones, balloons for 5G connectivity in emergencies
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is considering using drones and tethered balloons to restore 5G connectivity during emergencies and natural disasters. Trials are likely to be conducted soon to test this initiative, with a decision expected by June next year. This approach aims to provide temporary 5G networks during disasters, offering connectivity in remote locations or when normal telecom services are disrupted. The government believes this method is more convenient than setting up new mobile sites and can utilize existing spectrum and power supply backups.
Telecom service providers seek urgent intervention from DoT to curb rising equipment theft
Telecom service providers in India are facing a surge in theft of critical equipment, disrupting services and causing financial losses. This has prompted Lt. Gen. Dr SP Kochhar to urgently appeal to the Department of Telecommunications. The thefts mainly target Remote Radio Units and Baseband Units. Specific regions like Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu are heavily impacted. Stolen equipment is rarely recovered, leading to service outages and legal challenges.
DoT take down over 1000 SMS content templates to protect citizens from potential fraud
DoT, with support from MHA, cracked down on spam calls by blacklisting 73 SMS headers and 1,522 content templates to prevent SMS fraud, as reported by ToI.
Govt blacklists 8 principal entities in fresh strike down on SMS scammers
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has taken this decisive action to protect citizens from potential SMS fraud through the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the government said in a statement Monday.
Mobile users can expect relief from 'spoof international calls'
Hoax international calls originate outside the country, but cyber criminals manipulate the calling line identity (CLI) to make such calls appear as originating within India. The DoT has directed telecom carriers to block such calls. DoT noted that fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial fraud.
Govt directs telcos to block incoming international spoofed calls
The government directed telecom operators to block incoming international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to prevent cyber-crime and financial frauds by fraudsters and cyber-criminals.
DoT, telcos develop new mechanism to block spoof overseas calls masquerading as Indian numbers
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and mobile operators have developed a system to detect and block spoofed international calls that appear as Indian numbers. This measure aims to protect millions of mobile users from cyber criminals. These spoofed calls, manipulated to look like domestic calls, originate from abroad. The DoT has instructed telecom carriers to block such calls to prevent cybercrime and financial fraud.
D2M tech pioneer takes on DoT arm
The Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC) report has suggested that 3GPP 5G broadcast standards - backed by global chipmakers Qualcomm and Samsung, telecom equipment vendors Nokia and Ericsson as well as Indian telecom operators - have superior ecosystem readiness for direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting compared with the ATSC 3.0 protocols.
DoT asks telcos to reverify 6.8 lakh suspect mobile connections
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is initiating a re-verification process for approximately 6.8 lakh mobile connections suspected of being obtained through forged documents. These connections, flagged by advanced AI-driven analysis, are believed to have used fake or invalid proof of identity and address documents. Telcos have been directed to complete the re-verification within 60 days, with failure resulting in disconnection.
Telcos push for compliance parity with OTTs on pesky calls & SMSes
"The industry has developed various modules over the DLT framework, which have been reasonably successful, considering the noticeable decline in the volume of unsolicited commercial communications (UCC) originating from SMS over the last couple of years. But UCC from voice calls is still an issue that the regulator and operators are working together to address," S P Kochhar, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said Tuesday.
Vodafone Idea’s AGR dues to plunge 46% if SC verdict on curative petition is favourable: Analysts
Vodafone Idea's AGR dues may drop by 46% to Rs 38,400 crore with relief on curative petition, analysts say. Vi seeks waiver of penalty component in AGR demand. Payment reduction could provide cash flow relief, but challenges remain with significant payouts ahead. Management hopeful for Supreme Court relief on AGR calculation errors. Financial restructuring and strategic partnerships planned for Vi's future growth.
DoT aims to notify rules under Telecom Act soon
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) aims to notify rules under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 within 100 days of the new government taking charge. The rules will streamline the regulatory framework, ensuring compliance, and cover spectrum allotment, satellite communications, biometric data, and more, with a focus on customer data security and technology changes.
Band ho Jaa SIM SIM: Govt targets cyber thieves
On May 9, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had asked telcos to disconnect 28,220 mobile handsets and re-verify over two million mobile connections misused with these handsets.
DoT to launch pilot for caller name display service to combat spam calls
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will soon conduct a pilot to test the implementation of the caller's name display service (CNAP) on mobile phones, following recommendations from the telecom regulator. The pilot will determine whether CNAP should be implemented at the network or physical layer, with results guiding final implementation. CNAP aims to reduce spam and fraud calls. The government plans to mandate CNAP for all mobile phones sold in India after a specified date and will conduct a trial involving all telecom operators.
Trai to tighten rules to check pesky communication
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) plans to strengthen regulations and increase penalties to combat pesky communications affecting mobile phone users. Trai will issue a consultation paper to tighten rules and prevent misuse of the system, according to chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti. The government has allocated a new 160 numbering series for service and transactional calls, distinguishing them from promotional calls using the 140 series.
Trai to shortly release views on regulating communication apps
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is set to provide recommendations on the possible regulation of over-the-top (OTT) communication apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. The consultation process initiated in July last year continues, with stakeholders having provided their comments.
DoT reassures telcos over data shift to Amazon Web Services
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) faced backlash from mobile phone companies over plans to migrate its digital intelligence platform (DIP) to Amazon Web Services (AWS) from servers run by BSNL and C-DoT. The move was criticized for compromising consumer privacy. However, DoT clarified that critical subscriber database records won't be stored on AWS, easing concerns. The DIP is crucial for fighting cybercrimes and fraud, facilitating real-time intelligence sharing among stakeholders. The shift aims to address data surge challenges, with AWS being an approved vendor of MeitY, hosting CoWIN data.
Soon-to-be unfair trade practice, telemarketing & fraudulent calls to incur criminal liability
The Department of Consumer Affairs is working to bring out relevant guidelines in a couple of months. These will put accountability on telemarketers and their principal entities — such as banks, real estate companies or any other consumer-facing business — while sending promotional or transactional messages or making such calls for customer conversion.
Spectrum sale: Limited airwaves, huge investments discourage new entrants, say analysts
Analysts point to a lack of spectrum availability in key bands, coupled with high initial investment requirements of $16 billion for 5G airwaves and network rollouts, as key reasons why no new bidders have applied for the upcoming spectrum auction in Kolkata. Existing operators like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have already deployed countrywide 5G networks, further deterring new entrants due to the significant costs involved.
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