Telecom Department Simplifies Licensing Process to Foster Innovation

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has streamlined the licensing process for experimental, demonstration, and equipment-type approvals to enhance innovation and simplify operations. New regulations include deemed approvals and self-declaration for specific licences. This initiative aims to reduce delays and ease business processes in the telecom sector as recommended by TRAI.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has introduced significant changes to streamline the licensing process for experimental, demonstration, and equipment-type approvals, an official statement announced Tuesday. The initiative is part of a broader effort to promote innovation and simplify regulatory requirements for businesses in the telecom sector.

These reforms were recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to ease doing business and make regulatory processes more transparent. Notably, the DoT has initiated a deemed approval process for experimental and demonstration licences, ensuring quicker issuance. For equipment type approvals applied to license-exempt wireless devices, the applications will now be cleared on a self-declaration basis.

The new system mandates that experimental licences that do not require Inter-Ministerial Consultation will be issued after 30 days if no decision is communicated. For those requiring consultation, provisional licences will be granted after 60 days, converting to regular licences after 90 days if there are no adverse comments. The self-declaration process, facilitated through the SARAL Sanchar portal, aims to significantly reduce approval times, though equipment importers must still secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).