Telecom Policy
TRAI seeks stakeholders' views on assigning E-band, V-band spectrum via auctions
In the paper, issued Wednesday, the regulator has also sought views on the overall scope of services/usage of E & V band spectrum resources as well as the charging mechanism if these are assigned via the administrative route. Separately, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has also invited suggestions on whether any plans to assign E & V bands for space-based communications should be pushed back to a later date.
Trai rebuffs DoT, says will give pricing recos only for 37 GHz band, not others
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to refer to its previous recommendations on spectrum auction for bands ranging from 600 MHz to 26 GHz. Trai will only provide fresh recommendations for the new 37 GHz band. The regulator also stated that DoT can proceed with auctioning the spectrum in the existing bands without waiting for Trai's recommendations for the new bands.
Trai suggests sops to boost local telecom gear manufacturing
In the list of recommendations on ‘Promoting Networking and Telecom Equipment Manufacturing in India’ released by the sector regulator on Saturday, it has also suggested the introduction of local value addition norms in performance linked incentives scheme (PLI scheme), tax relief as part of fiscal incentives, and setting up a dedicated master fund towards to address the relative cost disability faced by the industry, among others.
TRAI recommends measures to boost telecom infra in North Eastern states
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued recommendations for improving telecom infrastructure in the North East region. TRAI suggests harmonizing the 'right of way' policies of state governments with Central rules and prioritizing the provision of electricity to telecom sites. The region currently faces a digital divide due to inadequate transmission bandwidth and other challenges.
Connected vehicles to boost e-SIM demand by 3 million in 1-1.5 years
The growing focus of automakers on connected vehicles is expected to drive demand for embedded SIMs (e-SIMs) by as much as 3 million units in the next 12-18 months. This increase in demand for e-SIMs is anticipated to boost enterprise business for telecom operators. Experts also predict that the adoption of e-SIMs in automobiles will quadruple the demand for semiconductor chips by 2025.
Trai proposes over 50% cut in entry fee for licenses, rejects telcos call to scrap BGs
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed to reduce entry fees for various licenses by over 50% in order to encourage new players to enter the sector. However, TRAI has rejected calls from telecom operators to scrap bank guarantees (BGs) for these licenses, stating that they serve as a mechanism to protect against market uncertainties.
TRAI moots entry fee cut for mobile, other tel service licences; suggests merger of bank guarantees
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended a cut in the entry fee for mobile and other telecom service licences, as well as the merging of bank guarantees. The move is aimed at facilitating the entry of new players and promoting ease of business for existing ones. TRAI believes that these measures will spur investment and growth, improve the quality of service, and enhance consumer welfare in the telecom sector. The reduction in entry fee is expected to attract new service providers and increase competition in the market.
Graded import duty structure for telecom components on the cards
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is examining a proposal to impose an initial 10% import duty from January and raise it further to 15% by October next year on packaging items, antennae, WiFi switches, plastic/metal housing items, wires/cables, USB ports/connectors, power adaptors and other electrical/mechanical items, among telecom components, said officials aware of the matter.
Trai bats for national registration of consumer bodies to boost awareness about 5G, 6G, AI, IoT
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has proposed that consumer organisations should be registered at a national level in order to raise awareness about emerging technologies such as 5G, 6G, AI, and IoT. Currently, these organisations are registered at a state level. Trai believes that consumer organisations can play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide by educating marginalized communities, rural areas, and different sections of society about the benefits of these technologies.
TRAI reduces audit compliance burden for LSAs, to cover max tariff offerings in audit
The new regulations on Quality of Service (Code of Practice for Metering and Billing Accuracy) Regulations, 2023, dated September 11, 2023, will result in reduction of audit burden by almost 75 per cent and enhance Ease of Doing Business (EODB), Trai said in a release on Wednesday.
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IAMAI and CUTS write to TRAI highlighting concerns on OTT regulation consultation paper
Two industry bodies, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), have expressed concerns to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) about the potential regulation of over-the-top (OTT) communication services. Both bodies argue that implementing revenue-sharing mechanisms between OTT apps and telecom service providers would violate net neutrality and increase costs for consumers.
Trai seeks views on need to review norms for public, captive mobile radio trunking services
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is seeking views on the need to review the terms and conditions of licenses for public and captive mobile radio trunking services (PMRTS and CMRTS). Trai is also asking for feedback on whether PMRTS providers should be allowed internet connectivity and if these services can be delivered using 4G/5G network slicing. The deadline for comments is September 26, and Trai is also seeking input on spectrum allocation, eligibility criteria for bidders, and service area provisions. PMRTS has seen growing prominence in critical infrastructure sectors in India.
Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea stick to auction pitch for all spectrum allocation
Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have suggested that auctions should be the default mechanism for spectrum assignment for broadcast and telecom applications. However, this suggestion was opposed by broadcast entities and other telecom operators during an open house discussion hosted by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
DoT gets ready for next round of 5G spectrum sale
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has initiated the process for the next round of 5G spectrum auction in India. It has requested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to determine the reserve price for various bands, which could be valued at around ₹2.5 lakh crore. The auction will include unsold airwaves from the previous sale as well as additional spectrum in the 37 GHz band.
Trai, ministries work on India 5G use cases
PD Vaghela, chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), said a joint committee of regulators comprising the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the ministries of home and consumer affairs is also trying to combat phishing and digital fraud.
Trai proposes tightening service quality rules, includes 5G for first time
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed strict performance benchmarks for telecom operators in relation to aspects surrounding call drops, including for 5G services, in a bid to enhance the consumer experience. It has proposed revising the network downtime benchmark to a cell level to enable a granular view of network availability.
