DoT to notify new licensing framework next week

The department of telecommunications (DoT) is likely to notify the new licensing framework next week. The unified licensing regime will enable telecom companies to provide multiple services including telephone, broadband and DTH with just one license, reports Malvika Jain of CNBC-TV18.

Also Read: India, Israel to work for development of 5G technology Everyone had been expecting that the unified licensing regime would have been notified much earlier but finally the law ministry has approved it and now it is likely to be notified next week. It was also learnt from the DoT sources that these guidelines would not need a cabinet approval. So, in a sense whatever the DoT has been promising and whatever has been approved by the ministry of law is going to be notified. One key point to note over here is that sources have highlighted that not all parts of the guidelines would become operative as soon as they are notified because there are issues like spectrum trading on which DoT has to still work out the roadmap on which it will be seeking TRAI recommendations. But sources indicated that going forward, spectrum sharing will be allowed. Issues such as 3G inter-circle roaming arrangements which Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have entered into would probably get settled. This matter presently is sub-judice. Telecom companies are looking forward to the unified licensing regime.