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Tag: national digital communications policy

  • Cabinet approves new telecom policy

    Cabinet approves new telecom policy

    MUMBAI: New telecom policy branded as the National Digital Communications Policy (http://www.indiantelevision.com/iworld/telecom/new-telecom-policy-may-go-to-cabinet-in-2-weeks-dots-sundararajan-180905) (NDCP) 2018 finally got an approval from the cabinet. The new policy aims to attract USD 100 billion in investment and create 40 lakh jobs in the sector by 2022, PTI reported.

    Providing broadband access to all, creating 40 lakh new jobs, and increasing India’s ranking in the global ICT Index to 50th spot- these are some of the key objectives of NDCP 2018.
    “We also expect GDP contribution of the telecom sector, which has been around six per cent, to grow to 8 per cent… and expect USD 100 billion investment to come in,” communication minister Manoj Sinha said.
    As communication systems have been going through rapid change globally in areas like 5G, Internet of Things and Machine to Machine Communication, Sinha said a “consumer-centric and application-driven policy” was needed to be brought in.
    The new policy(http://www.indiantelevision.com/iworld/telecom/comment-indias-ntp-2018-gets-digital-makeover-but-needs-complimentary-policies-180508) is focused on increasing high-speed broadband penetration, with use of modern technologies like 5G and optical fibres across the country at affordable rates.

  • New telecom policy may go to Cabinet in 2 weeks: DoT’s Sundararajan

    New telecom policy may go to Cabinet in 2 weeks: DoT’s Sundararajan

    NEW DELHI: The new telecom policy — branded as the National Digital Communications Policy (http://www.indiantelevision.com/iworld/telecom/comment-indias-ntp-2018-gets-digital-makeover-but-needs-complimentary-policies-180508) — is expected to be placed before the Indian Cabinet for approval in two weeks, a top official said on Tuesday.
    “It is likely to be placed in two weeks,” Telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan was quoted by news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) on the sidelines of an event.
    The government has recently issued the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP), which once approved will set the road map for attracting investment of around $ 100 million in the sector and create four million new job opportunities over a period of time.
    Promising rationalisation of levies such as spectrum charges to rejuvenate debt-ridden telecom sector, the proposed new telecom policy seeks to provide broadband access to all with 50 mbps speed and 5G services too amongst a host of other benefits by 2022.
    It proposes to adopt “Optimal Pricing of Spectrum” to ensure sustainable and affordable access to digital communications. High spectrum price and related charges have been the main concern of telecom services segment, which is reeling under a debt of around Rs 7.8 lakh crore.
    Sundararajan said that the Department of Telecom has completed inter-ministerial consultation on the new policy and is now working on some of the processes required to be fulfilled before the draft is submitted to cabinet for the approval. Earlier, the Telecom Commission(http://www.indiantelevision.com/iworld/telecom/ndcp-2018-net-neutrality-rules-cleared-by-telecom-commission-180712) had cleared draft policies related to the NDCP and net neutrality

  • Digital comm policy success depends on implementation: TAIPA

    Digital comm policy success depends on implementation: TAIPA

    MUMBAI: The Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) has commented on the government’s proposed telecom policy by saying that though it addresses issues of all players, the growth of the sector will depend on its effective implementation.

    “It (telecom policy) is the first right step but the most critical part will be the on-ground implementation and alignment of state governments with central government’s rulings and guidelines,” TAIPA director general TR Dua told PTI.

    Despite the government notifying ‘right of way’ (RoW) rules, that mandate norms for rolling out telecom infrastructure, mobile tower firms (and telecom infrastructure companies) face challenges. The draft National Digital Communications Policy 2018 has proposed a broadband readiness index for states and union territories so that they can get investments and handle RoW issues. 

    “The Indian telecom tower industry has been struggling through a number of critical issues such as non-inclusion of IP-1s under RoW rules, November 2016, state tower policies not aligned with RoW rules,” Dua said adding that state government and local bodies command high and several types of fees after which authorities take them under coercive action and shut down towers. 

    “In the last one year period ended December 2017, the tower industry could install only 21,000 mobile towers when it could have erected many more had the challenges were addressed. Today, the mobile tower count stands at 4,61,000 across the nation,” Dua said.

    A week ago, the government announced the new policy replacing the earlier suggested National Telecom Policy by bringing the information technology, telecom and I&B departments under one umbrella. It does not suggest making the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as the converged regulator.

    Also Read :

    Comment: India’s NTP 2018 gets digital makeover but needs complimentary policies

    Telecom policy likely to be rolled out in June 

    DoT addresses broadband issues in policy out for public consultation