Internet is for all, not a monopoly for few: Ravi Shankar Prasad

In response to telcos approach to department of telecom (DoT), Telecom Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that he won’t be swayed on spectrum pricing.“Won't be influenced or swayed by comments on spectrum pricing,” Prasad said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.“Will favour fair, objective pricing of spectrum,” he added.On the issue of differential pricing he said that it is a tariff issue and it will be resolved by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).“Internet should not become a monopoly of the few but must be available for all,” he said on the issue of net-neutrality.However, he refrained to comment on free basics.Below is the verbatim transcript of Ravi Shankar Prasad’s interview with Malvika Jain on CNBC-TV18. Q: What do you have to say on the issue of differential pricing and free basics?A: Differential pricing or free basic is basically a tariff issue. As a season journalist following the telecom sector you know it very well. Tariff in India is determined by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the regulator. Like the electricity commission in the case of energy pricing. We do not have a role there. However what is important is the decision must be taken in the fair manner. The larger issue of net neutrality the recommendations are being awaited, once that policy statement comes we will take a structure view on the government that I have always been saying. However, the free basic whoever does the campaign I am not here to make any comment on that, you know it very well. India is a democracy, but our decision’s are taken in a fair objective manner be by the TRAI the regulator or by the government. If the TRAI takes a regulation on tariff issue they can go to the legal process also under the meaning of TRAI act. Q: As far as TRAI’s recommendations on veracious other issues particularly spectrum pricing is concerned there is, of course every time these recommendations come year after year there is a lot of clamor, there is a lot of noise and telecom companies are always saying that the prices of which have been fixed are way too high. However, right now when we look at the present recommendations as far as 700 mega hertz band of spectrum is concerned companies have requested that that spectrum band should not be auctioned because eco system is not ready and price which has been set by the regulator is way too high. They have approached the government also in this sense what is your understanding? Do you think that the 700 spectrum band should be auctioned and the prices which have been recommended by TRAI are they going to be a subject matter of review? A: TRAI has given a recommendation; the government has to take a call. Therefore I cannot make any comment on that. I have said earlier also we had a very fair auction where we received the highest historic figure of Rs 1,10,000 crore. This also will be there whenever the entire system again commences. However, any specific brand pricing is there. India is a huge market, whenever you go for auction these kinds of comments are there. I will not be influenced or swayed by those comments. My take will be very clear it has to be fair, objective and in the best interest of telecom sector and also for consumer satisfaction. That is how I see it. Q: Quantum of spectrum is also an issue that is remained a matter of concern. In fact the TRAI in its report has said that for 800, 900 and 1,800 mega band of spectrum the quantum of spectrum that is available for auction is not sufficient even with what is being planned to be put to auction. So, how are you going to make more spectrums available? A: You cannot enlarge a spectrum on a day to day basis. It is natural resources available. We are going to get band from defence also, will do that. However, what is important is in my view even the last time we had sufficient spectrum available for auction, this time also we will do in a fair transparent manner. These kinds of talks, suggestions, comments keep on coming whenever there is any auction. Let me do my work in a sincere manner.(Copy edited by Sidhartha Shukla, interview transcribed by Vrushali Sawant)