TRAI issues consultation paper seeking stakeholders views on NTP

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today issued a consultation paper seeking stakeholders' view to formulating the National Telecom Policy (NTP)2018.

The Department of Telecommunications, through its letter· dated 21.08.2017, requested TRAI to suggest its policy inputs for the formulation of National Telecom Policy - 2018.

DoT, on its website, has stated that the new telecom policy will be governed by the key guiding principle of alignment with the national vision. Its major themes will, inter-alia, be regulatory & licensing frameworks impacting the telecom sector, connectivity-for-all, quality of services, ease of doing business, and absorption of new technologies including 5G and IoT.

The government through the new telecom policy seeks to spur the socioeconomic development up to the bottom of the pyramid by ensuring voice, video, and data connectivity for all, provide reliable and secure connectivity with assured quality of service. facilitate the development of infrastructure and services for new technologies including 5G and IoT, encourage innovation and manufacturing.

National Telecom Policy-2018 have twin goals viz. (i) facilitate the development of communication infrastructure and services to achieve inclusive socio-economic growth in the country, and (ii) to propel India to become the front-runner in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This policy would set the mission and objectives to be accomplished by the end of the calendar year 2022 when India will be celebrating its 75 years of independence. It would also specify the strategies to accomplish such objectives as well as capacity building in general.

To establish India as the global hub for internet and data communication systems and services in a net-neutral environment. To aim for self-sufficiency in telecom equipment manufacturing," the consultation paper said. It has the objective to increase rural teledensity to 100 percent. "To leapfrog India amongst top-50 nations in international rankings in terms of network readiness, communications systems, and services.

Meanwhile, stakeholders are requested to furnish their written comments by January 19, 2018.