The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday released a consultation paper on “Ease of Doing Business” in the telecom and broadcasting sector. The regulator has sought views from stakeholders on simplifying the current provisions of policy frameworks in various ministries and departments.
Currently, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology are involved in issuing permissions, registrations and licences to players in the broadcasting and telecom sector.
This consultation paper has sought comments from the stakeholders on the various issues and difficulties being faced by them in starting and running businesses in telecom and broadcasting.
Feedback
“Telecom and broadcasting sector have immense potential to move on the higher trajectory of growth, if business environment could be made more attractive by simplifying the existing provisions of policy frameworks in various ministries and departments involved in issuing permission, registrations, and licences,” it said in a statement.
The Department of Telecommunications, for instance, issues licences, permissions or registrations for various services such as Unified Licence with authorisations for different services, UL-ISP licence, registration to Infrastructure Provider (IP-I), PM-WANI registration, captive VSAT CUG License and Captive Mobile Radio Trunking Service, among others. It has asked whether these processes are simple and well-defined. For instance, TRAI has sought opinion on whether the existing procedure to acquire a licence for providing satellite-based services is convenient, fast and end-to-end online.
‘Own initiative’
“The broadcast and telecom regulator said that it has suo-moto floated this consultation paper to identify various concerns in the existing processes and suggest measures for the reforms required in the regulatory processes, policies, practices and procedures in the telecom and broadcasting sector for creating a conducive business environment in India.”
“The stakeholders are also requested to provide their valuable comments on adoption of new technologies for all the issues raised in this consultation paper,” the statement added.
In the broadcast sector, for instance, broadcasters need permission for uplinking and downlinking of TV channels and for setting up of uplinking hubs and teleport. Similarly, DTH operators need licenses from the I&B Ministry while local cable operators need to register with the Ministry.