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Internet vital for life, shutdowns hurt banking, education: Telcos to govt

Telecom firms urge the govt to limit internet shutdowns, citing their impact on essential services like banking, education, and digital payments, and stress exploring alternatives for law-and-or

Elon Musk's Starlink moves closer to India licence, accepts data terms

Starlink is moving closer to obtaining a license in India after agreeing to comply with govt's data localisation and security requirements, clearing a major hurdle in its expansion plans in India

Govt panel pulls up BSNL, DoT for slow pace of asset monetisation

Telecom among worst-performing departments in terms of monetisation

Airtel pushes DoT for non-discriminatory waiver in telecom sector reforms

Airtel has urged the Department of Telecommunications to ensure that the proposed waiver on spectrum bank guarantees applies uniformly across all telecom operators, regardless of financial health

DoT pushes local manufacturing with new procurement clause for 5G gear

As Indian companies enhance the capacity to manufacture 5G technology products at scale, they will be prioritised for 'Make in India' procurement orders, ensuring these goods are sourced domestically

Spectrum payment: VIL in discussion with DoT for waiver of bank guarantee

Debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Tuesday said it has been in discussion with the Department of Telecom for the waiver of bank guarantee which the company is required to submit a year before the due date for payment of spectrum acquired prior to 2022. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has asked the telco to submit bank guarantees as an assurance for the spectrum payment of Rs 24,747 crore due in September next year. As per norms, bank guarantees need to be submitted at least one year before the payment due date. "The company has made detailed representations to the DoT and continues to be engaged with DoT for removal of the bank guarantee requirements for spectrum acquired before 2022. This is also an industry ask," Vodafone Idea (VIL) said in a regulatory filing. According to sources, the DoT has also reached out to the finance ministry on the issue of giving exemption to telcos from submitting bank guarantees for spectrum payment dues. VIL has sought relief citing the

Vodafone Idea in talks with DoT to ease bank guarantees for older spectrum

Vodafone Idea is in talks with the Department of Telecommunications to remove bank guarantee requirements for spectrum acquired before 2022, seeking relief amid ongoing regulatory pressures

Vi's missed bank guarantees trigger DoT notice amidst waiver talk

The notice was triggered after Vodafone Idea missed the deadline to submit bank guarantees for auctions held before 2022

Bharti Airtel prepays Rs 8,465 crore to DoT for spectrum acquired in 2016

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has prepaid Rs 8,465 crore to the government against spectrum it acquired in 2016. These liabilities carried an interest rate of 9.3 per cent, the company said in a statement. "Bharti Airtel, one of India's leading telecommunications service providers, today said that it has prepaid Rs 8,465 crore to the Department of Telecom (Government of India) against spectrum acquired in 2016," the statement said.

Trai urges DoT to encash Rs 115 cr from telcos for spam-related violations

The telecom regulator maintains that telcos are responsible for controlling unsolicited commercial communications under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations

DoT eases process to issue licences for trial, demo, equipment approvals

The Department of Telecom has eased the process to issue licences for experimental, demonstration and equipment-type approvals to reduce delays and simplify regulatory requirements to promote innovation and streamline operations for businesses, an official statement said on Tuesday. The changes have been made based on the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on ease of doing business and simplifying regulatory processes in the telecom sector. The department has induced deem approval process for experimental and demonstration licence while all the applications for equipment type approvals (ETA) for license-exempt wireless devices will now be granted on a self-declaration basis. "For Experimental Licences cases not requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the licence will be deemed issued after 30 days if no decision is conveyed," the statement said. In cases requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the DoT will seek comments within seven days of ...

DoT's new Telecom Act rules explained: Internet shutdowns to infra updates

The Telecom Act, which replaces outdated laws like the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, has raised concerns over mass surveillance and online privacy

5G, 6G rollout will spur growth to become developed nation: DoT secretary

After 5G, India is now gearing up for 6G rollout which will spur the growth that is required to achieve the developed nation status, Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal said on Wednesday. Mittal said that the government has replaced 150 years old Telegraph Act with a new Telecommunications Act which is expected to stand the test of time for the next 20-30 years. "5G technology has been already rolled out. We are now planning for 6G. All of them will spur the growth in achieving the developed nation status that we are yearning for," he said while speaking at a public relations industry event Prana. Mittal said that the race of technology is not going to stop. He said policymakers need to visit global manufacturing hubs in countries like Vietnam and China and get their acts together to replicate the success stories in India. "I think the 12 (industrial) cities which the government has announced will be able to do that. I think if we can do that in 100th years, at 2047, we will not fail o

DoT asks M2M service providers to register by Sep 30 or face disruption

The Department of Telecom has asked unregistered machine-to-machine service providers to register by month-end, as non-registration may lead to disruption of services, an official statement said on Tuesday. As of June 30, there were 5.2 crore M2M cellular mobile connections. "Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has urged all unregistered M2M Service Providers (M2M SPs) and WPAN/WLAN (devices connected wirelessly) Connectivity Providers for M2M Services, to register with DoT immediately and latest by September 30, 2024, to avoid disruption of their M2M services. "Non-compliance may lead to withdrawal or disconnection of telecom resources obtained from the Authorised Telecom Licensees," the statement said. The segment is dominated by Bharti Airtel with 2.82 crore connections with a market share of 53.86 per cent, followed by Vodafone Idea Limited, Reliance Jio and BSNL with a market share of 27.77, 12.80 and 5.58 per cent, respectively. M2M services comprise devices that can be .

Telecom minister to meet telcos and internet service providers on Tuesday

Jyotiraditya Scindia met with satcom, OEM and electronic makers on Monday

'BSNL CMD Purwar denied extension, DoT's Ravi to get additional charge'

The government has denied extension to BSNL Chairman and Managing Director P K Purwar and is likely to give the charge to a senior department of telecom officer Robert J Ravi, official sources said. Purwar, who took charge as BSNL CMD in July 2019 for five years, had applied for an extension. "DoT is mulling to hand over additional charge of BSNL CMD post to DDG Robert J Ravi. There is no decision on extension sought by the present CMD," an official source said. An Indian Telecom Service officer, Ravi, has 34 years of experience in the telecom sector. He is serving as Deputy Director General at the Department of Telecom. This will be Ravi's second stint at BSNL. He had served as additional general manager at the state-run firm for about six years.

Modi govt 3.0 cabinet: Jyotiraditya Scindia becomes new telecom minister

Scindia's political journey took a turn in 2020 when he resigned from the Congress party, triggering a political crisis that led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh

DoT's 100-day agenda intact: Crackdown on rising spam calls, text messages

DoT is also preparing terms of reference for allocation of satellite spectrum

DoT plans trials for drone & balloon-based 5G restoration during disasters

The Department of Telecommunications will likely conduct trials in the coming months to assess the effectiveness of this initiative

DoT identifies property assets of BSNL and MTNL for 'outright sale'

The government has listed over 100 properties of MTNL for outright sale through an auction process