Public comments invited on the Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 till 20th October, 2022
The Department of Telecommunications has published the Draft India Telecommunication Bill, 2022 (“Bill”) with an aim to bring in significant changes to the way of governing the Telecom sector in India.
Key Highlights:
1. The Bill emphasizes the need to ensure availability of affordable, reliable, secure and universal telecommunication services;
2. The Bill proposes to replace some concepts such as “telegraph”, “telegraph officer”, etc. under the existing framework which are outmoded and include comprehensive definitions which are relevant to present day realities;
3. The Bill further proposes to vest the Central Government, the exclusive privilege of granting licences for telecommunication services or telecommunication networks, registrations for establishing telecommunication infrastructure, etc.;
4. In order to prevent Cyber frauds, the Bill proposes that any entity that has been granted license under the Act must identify the persons to whom it provides the services through a verifiable mode of identification and that the identity of the person sending a message must be made available to a user;
5. Further, the Bill proposes a framework for optimal utilization of spectrum and subsequently included provisions relating to:
• deploying new technologies for enabling the utilization of the spectrum in a liberalized and technologically neutral manner,
• sharing, trading, leasing and surrender of spectrum assigned, subject to prescribed terms and conditions,
• providing a process of return of unutilized spectrum, etc.
6. The Bill further confers power on the Central Government to impose penalties in case there is a breach of terms and conditions of a license, registration, authorization, or assignment granted;
7. In addition to the above-mentioned, the Bill also lays down a framework for “voluntary undertakings”, an effective mechanism for obtaining Right of Way for establishing telecommunication networks and improvement of telecommunication services, a uniform and non-discriminatory regulatory framework governing establishment of telecommunication infrastructure on public property; and enabling provisions in respect of private property, etc.
Comments or suggestions in this regard must be sent through e-mail at (naveen.kumar71@gov.in) on or by 20th October, 2022.
A Copy of the relevant Notifications are linked below for your ease of reference.
Source: Department of Telecommunications
