Govt plans to include fund in upcoming telecom Bill despite telcos' opposition, officials said
It intends to improve telecom services at a time when the country is quickly adopting 5G technology
Also ranked 6th among 26 countries in data usage growth over same period
Company's welcome offer will give users unlimited data at up to 1Gbps speeds
Telcos to install over 1.5 million radios by then; all metros, and towns will be covered, say vendors
In an analyst call following the release of Vi results, CEO Akshaya Moondra said the company is trying to quickly close funding talks with banks so that stuck vendor payments can be quickly addressed
Done the right way, the smart platform for infrastructure planning and execution could lead to tremendous productivity benefits
Telecom equipment manufacturer HFCL Limited said it has received an approval to avail incentive up to Rs 652.79 crore as part of government's PLI scheme, as the country kicks off the 5G era.
Tower installation firm had said conversion of interest into equity stake for the government can be decided only after telecom company's stock price improves
The firm is currently carrying out beta trials of the 5G service in eight cities nationwide, has now seen eight consecutive profitable quarters
TRAI's apprehensions over potential dilution of powers under the draft telecom bill have been addressed, and the government may look at the option of taking up provisions related to strengthening of the regulatory body separately at a later stage, DoT sources said. On Over-the-top (OTT) communication apps, sources said, the focus is on user protection related regulation, not licencing. The Department of Telecommunications (DOT), through the provisions of the draft bill, will come down heavily on spammers and those indulging in cyber frauds, sources said. Amid reports of TRAI's opposition to certain clauses of the draft telecom bill, that were seen diluting its powers, sources said, ???discussions have taken place between the two sides. All the outstanding issues have been resolved, they said. There are no differences between Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the telecom department on this issue, sources said. The thinking in telecom department now is that specific ..
The government on Wednesday unveiled new policy reforms for satellite communications services to ease procedures and streamline clearances to expedite the rollout of Satcom across the country, especially in remote areas. Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw exhorted the industry to increase tower deployments for a speedy 5G rollout. The current pace of tower deployment needs to increase from 2,500 towers a week to 10,000 towers per week, he said. The government has done its bit in ushering in reforms, and it is now up to the industry to show its commitment, the minister added.
DoT has also sought feedback on the bill from all ministries of the Central government, state government and the public along with Trai
The bill provides a regulatory framework for spelling out the govt's role in telecommunication services and networks; telecommunication equipment and infrastructure; and spectrum and its assignment
Gurgaon-based company is a beneficiary of the government's PLI scheme for IT hardware, telecom
In June this year, the central government allowed enterprises to set up captive non-public networks to buy 5G spectrum directly from DoT, to establish their isolated networks
The government has approved Rs 26,000 crore for installation of 25,000 mobile towers in 500 days, an official statement said on Tuesday. According to a telecom ministry spokesperson, financial support for the project will be provided by Universal Services Obligation Fund and it will be implemented by Bharat Broadband Network. The project was announced by Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at three-day long 'Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers' that concluded on October 3. "In his concluding remarks, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that connectivity is vital for Digital India and its reach to every corner of the country. He announced that Rs 26,000 crore has been approved to install 25,000 new towers in next 500 days," the statement said. Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS Communications Devusinh Chauhan and IT ministers from 12 states and UTs, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Broader point is that tariff must rise and telco will be happy to take the lead, he adds
Vaishnaw says the service will be available for apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram
Forum also believes the bill also weakens role of telecom regulator, makes it subservient to govt