New Telecom Policy Likely To Be Rolled Out Next Month, Says Telecom Secretary

The new telecom policy is likely to be rolled out by next month, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said today.

“We want to place it [the telecom policy] before the Cabinet in four weeks. It will be open for public comments for two weeks, then we will finalise everything in a week and send to the Cabinet after that. It will be in place in June,” Sundararajan told reporters.

The Department of Telecom has already issued the draft of the new telecom policy.

The draft policy branded as National Digital Communications Policy 2018 was unveiled by the government yesterday. It aims to attract $100 billion or about Rs 6.5 lakh crore investments in the digital communications sector by 2022 with the help of reforms.

Promising rationalisation of levies such as spectrum charges to rejuvenate debt-ridden telecom sector, the proposed new telecom policy seeks to provide broadband access to all with 50 mbps speed, 5G services and create 40 lakh new jobs by 2022.

“The crux of the policy is to have broadband for all,” Sundararajan said. She said that spectrum usage charges will be rationalised within the ongoing financial year.

"The investment in the sector will come once industry stabilises. There are efforts to stabilise industry soon," she said.