New Telecom Policy: It's Going To B Consumer First

[abhay 0]

New telecom policy: It's going to be consumer first

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is preparing a new telecom policy (NTP) to replace the existing one. One of the main highlights of the NTP would be its focus on customer-related issues.

Permitting number portability, implementing carrier access code (CAC), setting up of ombudsman, and unbundling of last-mile access for broadband services are some of the recommendations of the core committee of DoT on NTP.

The committee has also recommended M&A norms to be part of NTP. Currently, there are separate guidelines for M&As. Separation of accounting for different services will also be part of the policy.

The core committee says that there was a need to formulate a new policy as “there are new emerging opportunities and challenges for maintaining the momentum of telecom growth, its coverage, and new value-added services”. Rural telephony and spectrum management would be the other focus area of the NTP.

The draft NTP has set a target of achieving a 22% teledensity by ’07 and a 30% teledensity by ’10. At present, teledensity in India is close to 10%. By ’07, all the villages would be connected by the telecom network. It also envisages a broadband penetration of 20m and an internet penetration of 40m by ’10.

In order to benefit consumers, the draft new telecom policy says that number portability would be implemented within one year of announcing the policy. Number portability would allow a subscriber to change telecom operators, even as they retain their numbers.

The draft policy also envisages implementing carrier access code (CAC) so that customers have the choice to select their own ISD and STD operators.

The draft policy envisages setting up an ombudsman for telecom subscribers. Currently, customers have to approach courts for their complaints.

The committee has recommended more autonomy to the Trai. It has recommended that the funding for Trai should come from the revenue share collected from the industry.

Trai would be allowed to recruit professionals directly. Further on retirement, the officers would not be permitted to work for any telecom operator. For penetration of rural telephony, the government envisages allowing seven years of revenue-sharing exemption to service providers on revenues from rural areas.

The draft policy envisages allowing private telecom operators to provide broadband access through the fixed line network of MTNL and BSNL.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1304721.cms

[BPP 0]

But it does not talk about ADC ?

[linuxguy 0]

neither does it say anything about unbundling the local loop!

[BPP 0]

or may be we dont know the detail, if anyone knows abt it please post it here