The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) wants the new telecom ministry under the next NDA government headed by BJP leader Narendra Modi to focus on providing Wi-Fi services public places in urban areas and commercial centers.
DoT, in a note prepared for the new government, said Wi-Fi facilities in public places in urban areas and commercial centers should be a focus area for the new regime. The report noted that there is no regulatory impediment for provision of Wi-Fi facilities by licensed service providers and others.
Despite lack of growth in broadband services across the country, only a handful of telecom operators such as Tata Teleservices, MTS India and Reliance Communications are focusing on Wi-Fi in public places.
Recently, cabinet secretariat has instructed the telecom department to prepare fresh points to ensure growth of Indian telecom. India has around 850 million mobile subscribers. But quality of services is still a major issue. Because of the low ARPU, several telecom operators are not opting for substantial increase in Capex.
On May 20, the DoT had shared a list of top 10 priority areas like introduction of new laws and security of networks and infrastructure expansion, with the Cabinet Secretary.
DoT has said that under new regime there is need to work out ways of taking broadband services at village-level once connectivity through National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN) project is at all 2.5 lakh panchayats.
There is an ongoing discussion between Department of Rural Development and DoT for adding Wi-Fi services around NOFN at public places at panchayat level.
The presentation has raised issue of further fine tuning of regulation to meet modern requirement and rapid pace of technology development in the sector.
DoT has listed shaky confidence of investors in the sector, debt burden, litigations and taxations as challenge for the sector and added need of light touch regulation to promote growth in sector, said the report.
The Indian government is looking at 100 percent rural teledensity and 600 million broadband connections by 2019. For this government will have to facilitate infrastructure up to village level.
Government is looking at expanding broadband infrastructure across the country through indigenous products.
The new presentation includes special emphasis on massive infrastructure development especially along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
The DoT has proposed that new government should identify 100 most backward districts in terms of telecom services and bring them at par with other districts.
Besides this, the department has listed a need for a national plan to address the challenges posed by the Maoist insurgency.
TelecomLead News Team
