Vaishnaw asks industry to offer suggestions as govt formulates new legal framework for telecom sector

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday exhorted the industry to actively pitch in with suggestions as the government looks to craft a new legal framework for the sector.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) recently floated a consultation paper on the revamp of telecom rules mainly to keep pace with the change in technology like 5G, simplify laws and promote investments.

''We are committed to ensuring that India's regulatory system will become the world's best...a regulatory structure where you (the industry) are able to plan out investments, with certainty,'' Vaishnaw said.

He promised the industry that all potential sources of uncertainties will be removed.

Vaishnaw asked the industry to actively participate in the discussion process, and come up with suggestions.

''Just the Government doing it alone will not work...we want your active participation and each and every suggestion, we will take it seriously as we have done in the past,'' the minister said at a curtain raiser event of the upcoming India Mobile Congress 2022.

The minister asked the industry to participate ''very aggressively, diligently, methodically in the formulation of the new law''.

The telecom minister also said that the strong response received for 5G spectrum auctions reflected that the industry had come out of the long period of pain and uncertainty, leaving the legacy issues behind.

He asked the industry to build inclusive technology for every part of the value chain, and take benefit of the Rs 500 crore per year technology development fund.

In his address, the minister asked the industry to go beyond considerations of only profitability to also focus on technology for all sections of society.

''With that kind of technology adoption, whatever investments you do today in reaching out to unconnected areas will give you dividends. So, don't feel hesitant in going out to the last village, far-flung areas,'' the minister said. The sixth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022 is scheduled for September 29 and October 1 in New Delhi.

Since its inception in 2017, IMC has been jointly organised by the Department of Telecommunications and the industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The event is expected to witness 70,000 attendees, 7,000 CXO-level delegates, 300 speakers, and 350 exhibitors in 60-plus sessions during this edition.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)