Sibal announces new licensing framework

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Union Telecommunications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal unveiled on Monday the broad framework of a new telecom policy.

While addressing the media during a press briefing to announce the broad framework of a new telecom policy, Sibal said, with the phenomenal growth in data services and cellular sites, the telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI) will be announcing the new National Telecom Infrastructure Policy, the minister said. The said policy is expected to address the issues pertaining to right of way (RoW) and keep a check on infrastructure providers, equipment manufacturers.

The minister said the new telecom policy would bring in reforms such as audit of spectrum usage, de-linking of spectrum allocation and licences, and change of merger and acquisition guidelines, among others.

“We want regular audit and review of usage of spectrum by various agencies. We feel this is required. Which agency, whether it is going to be the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) or the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India), we have not decided yet,” said Sibal.

11 years have passed since NTP 1999 and many changes have taken place thereafter, according to DoT. It said action will be initiated to formulate a comprehensive Telecom Policy 2011 including the recognition of Telecom as infrastructure and as an essential service, encouraging Green Telecom, steps to accelerate migration from IPv4 to IPv6 at the earliest, release of IPv6 standards by Telecom Engineering Centre for implementation in the country, etc.

Facilitator of Internet revolution

While talking to reporters, Sibal said that the ministry, along with TRAI and industry organizations GSMA and COAI, is looking at broadband as the facilitator of Internet revolution.

JS Sharma, Chairman, TRAI said that, the infrastructure providers and equipment manufacturers play a crucial role in the growing telecom industry.

“The government is coming up with National Telecom Infrastructure Policy as there is a need to amend the legal framework in this direction. Infrastructure providers have much to do in the areas like solutions and services, whereas for service providers, it’s just plug-and-play kind of environment,” he said.

Sharma informed that infrastructure providers should come up with unified licenses, and the new policy will ensure the availability of RoW as well as address equipment manufacturing and green technology.