TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS INDIA LTD
Trai amendments to MNP to curb SIM swap, replacement frauds to take effect from July 1
The regulator had notified the amendment in March 2024, after consulting stakeholders. The amendment adds an additional criterion for rejecting generation of the Unique Porting Code (UPC) required to port a SIM card to a different telecom service provider. "These amendment regulations are aimed at curbing the porting of mobile numbers by way of fraudulent SIM swap/ replacement by unscrupulous elements," the regulator said Friday.
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.
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.
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.
Mcap of BSE-listed firms at another record high of Rs 434.9 lakh crore
The market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms hit another record high of Rs 434.88 lakh crore on Friday as the BSE benchmark scaled new closing peak, rallying for the third day running.
Trai mulls charges for existing, newly allocated numbering resources to ensure efficient use
Telecom regulator Trai is seeking stakeholders' views on the introduction of charges for existing and newly allocated numbering resources to ensure their judicious and efficient use. Trai's recent consultation paper, 'Revision of National Numbering Plan,' emphasizes the value of numbering resources and the need for their efficient utilization by telecom service providers.
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India may raise FY25 CPSE dividend target in full budget
The finance ministry is set to increase CPSE dividend estimates by Rs 5,000 crore to approximately Rs 53,000 crore for the current fiscal year in the full budget to be presented in July. This adjustment reflects improved dividend forecasts based on updated financial data. Dividend receipts for 2023-24 totaled Rs 63,000 crore.
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.
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.
Talks begin on pricing of new spectrum bands
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is seeking input on pricing and spectrum quantum for future auctions of new bands for mobility and satellite communication services. The Department of Telecommunications has identified frequency ranges 37-37.5 GHz for International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT), 37.5-40 GHz, and 42.5-43.5 GHz for international mobile telecommunication (IMT) and satellite gateway links.
Trai seeks opinions from stakeholders on spectrum auction for IMT and satellite communication
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is seeking stakeholders' opinion on auctioning spectrum for international mobile telecommunication (IMT) and satellite communication. The Department of Telecommunications has identified specific frequency ranges for these services. Trai is soliciting opinions on the quantum of airwaves, validity period, service areas, pricing, and other metrics for the upcoming auction.
Wait for M2M critical services definition likely to get longer
The telecom industry is worried that any further delay in defining critical services would lead to security implications as currently most of the M2M communications, including in power and infrastructure sectors, are happening on non-licensed spectrum with no security parameters, putting such networks at risk.
With 5x the investment, India will be among top semicon producers by 2028: IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
In an interview with ET, minister for electronics and IT, communications and railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government will be focused on execution of India’s first semiconductor fab project, by the Tata group, along with two other chip assembly proposals, in record time.
Trai recommends mandatory call name display to curb spam
The feature will originally be enabled by the terminating access provider who received the call by making a query to the central subscriber database of provider from where the call originated. The regulator had started consultation on the subject back in 2022, seeking suggestions on potential model on how the service can be implemented.
Trai wants network operators to implement calling name display service
In its recommendations issued Friday on calling name presentation (CNAP) service, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said, “the government should issue appropriate instructions for making CNAP feature in all devices sold in India, after a suitable cut off date, say after six months from the date of notification.”
Telcos free to take a call on shutting down 2G services, says DoT
Experts feel that 2G technology is likely to remain mainstream in India at least for the next two-three years as a good number of people still use it, particularly those who can't afford a smartphone. As per industry data, around 50 million 2G phones are sold in a year while there are over 500,000 2G base tower stations in the country, majority owned by Bharti Airtel, followed by Vodafone Idea and state-run BSNL/MTNL.
Airtel waives off first right of refusal for TCIL's stake in Bharti Hexacom
Bharti Airtel has waived its right of first refusal to acquire a 30% stake in Bharti Hexacom from state-owned Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL). The move is seen as a lack of immediate value in the acquisition, according to analysts. Bharti Hexacom had previously filed a draft offer document to sell a 20% stake of TCIL, which will provide the government with a partial exit. TCIL's holding will drop to 10% after Bharti Hexacom's IPO, while Bharti Airtel will retain its 70% stake in the unit.
Trai seeks stakeholder views on assignment of more spectrum to Railways for safety, security systems
In the consultation paper, Trai sought stakeholder views on whether an additional 5 MHz (paired) spectrum in the 700 MHz band should be assigned to Indian Railways (IR) for its requirement related to safety and security applications, and whether spectrum harmonisation is needed to make the radiowaves assigned to Railways, and NCRTC and other RRTS/ Metro Rail Networks contiguous.
Indian telecom sector may see FDI revival from FY25
India's telecom sector anticipates a surge in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next two years following recent policy changes. The opening of satellite communications and the introduction of the Telecommunications Act are expected to attract investment and enhance sectoral appeal. Despite a recent FDI decline due to domestic funding availability and sporadic investments, experts foresee increased FDI inflows with these regulatory reforms, signaling potential growth opportunities for the industry.
DoT may not include 600 MHz band in its next spectrum sale
The DoT plans to conduct the next spectrum sale in March as permits of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) expire in 2024 in some circles such as West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Odisha. The auction is unlikely to see heavy bidding as 5G spectrum needs have been met for the time being.
DoT not to include 600 MHz band in next spectrum sale
The Indian Department of Telecommunications will not auction the 600 MHz spectrum in the upcoming 5G auction due to concerns about interference with satellite operations. The 600 MHz band, which costs Rs 3,927 crore per unit, was put on sale in August 2022 but found no takers. The DoT plans to conduct the next spectrum sale in March as permits of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea expire in 2024 in certain areas.
DoT readying over 30 rules based on new Telecom Act
New Telecom Act: The rules will define spectrum pricing for administrative allocation to services like satellite communication, a lawful interception mechanism for carriers and the conditions for spectrum trading, sharing and surrender, among others.
Telecom operators urge government for spectrum auction in direct-to-mobile services
Indian mobile phone operators are urging the government to auction spectrum for direct-to-mobile (D2M) services in a technology-neutral manner. The government is exploring a proposal to deliver broadcasting or TV content directly to mobile phones without a data connection and is considering reserving 526-582 MHz spectrum for D2M services.
TRAI papers on OTT, Satcom to be infructious, say government official
The new bill has removed OTT services and apps from the definition of telecom services and called for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, ruling out auctions of such airwaves. “The telecom bill is the overarching law. Obviously the two (TRAI) papers will be infructuous,” the official said.
Govt introduces landmark new telecom bill to replace archaic laws
The new bill has removed over-the-top (OTT) services and apps from the definition of telecommunication services, in a big relief to communication service providers such as WhatsApp and Telegram that will thus remain out of the proposed regulation, people aware of the development told ET.
Over Rs 1,500 crore left in kitty, telecom PLI 2.0 in works
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had notified the PLI scheme for telecom and networking products in February 2021 with an outlay of ₹12,195 crore. A total of 31 companies were given approval on October 14, 2021 for the scheme, which offers incentives in the range of 4% to 7% for different categories and years. For MSMEs, a 1% higher incentive is proposed in year 1, year 2 and year 3.
Bharti Hexacom IPO likely to fetch centre ₹10,000 crore
Airtel has reportedly appointed a clutch of investment banks, including Axis Capital, SBI Caps, IIFL and ICICI Securities to start the IPO process. The listing is likely to be concluded by early-2024. Industry experts, though, said the government's expectations of raking in around Rs 10,000 crore from a potential divestment of its 30% stake in Bharti Hexacom is more than three times higher than an earlier valuation conducted by brokerage J M Financial some two years ago.
TV content broadcast proposal: Telecom sector gets wrong signal from Direct-to-Mobile
The smartphone industry is worried that adoption of the proposal making it mandatory for devices to offer support to direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting will increase the cost of devices by $30 (₹2,500) at least.
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