The government expects to resolve the telecom industry's immediate issues, related to policy, regulator and infrastructure, in next six months, Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar said today.
"Policy side or immediate issues with Trai, all the regulatory and legal proceedings are under way. We expect all these to close in next three months. We hope 75% in the next three months and remaining in next two three months," Chandrashekhar said at a Ficci session here.
The Telecom Secretary said that his department was in advance stages of finalising licence cancellation of operators which did not meet eligibility condition at the time of obtaining licences and companies which failed to roll out services within stipulated time.
"The matter on eligibility is in advance stages. We have received all the responses. We are examining legal aspect of these responses and we hope to conclude it over next couple of months," Chandrashekhar said.
Last year, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had served 119 show cause notices to various telecom operators, of which, 85 were for those ineligible to get licences. Also, it has identified 83 licences of telecom players that could not roll out services within stipulated time.
"On the rollout, we have taken a call to issue notices by simultaneously examining some of the legal aspect which still remains unresolved," he said.
Chandrashekhar clarified that ongoing discussion with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is being taken separately and will be implemented after approval from the Telecom Commission.
"Spectrum, merger and acquisition are going up with Trai. Once we get response of Trai on all these issue... Which we expect by October 25 then we will be in position to take final decision. This will also happen over next two to three months," he said.
Chandrashekhar clarified that the National Telecom Policy (NTP) document will be the framework on which various norms will evolve over period of time to meet government's objective.
"The policy will address some of the immediate issues and norms to achieve objective of the policy will evolve in timely manner after wide consultation with industry stakeholders," he said.
The Telecom Secretary said that after receiving comments of various stakeholders on draft NTP, DoT will send it to the Cabinet Committee for final approval and try to get it approved by the end of December.
