The Telecom commission has decided to permit Closed User
Groups (CUGs) to interconnect with Government Data Networks after obtaining a license. The
decision follows the long pending demand of the CUGs for interconnectivity for data
networking. Finance, Tourism and Travel industries including Airlines will benefit from
this decision.
The Task Force on Information Technology also actively
considered this issue and recommended interconnectivity between the Government Data
Networks and CUG's networks. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been for quite
some time granting network approvals for CUG's private telecom networks. These networks
were being permitted for producers of goods or provider of service, other than
telecommunication, and their wholesale traders/agents, holding companies and their
subsidiaries, interconnected undertakings, etc. As a result, Stock Exchanges, Banks,
Airlines and Hotels could have their own captive CUGs.