Not possible to please everyone, not in a popularity contest: Trai's Sharma

Like every other industry, telecom also has demand and supply side aspects to be taken into consideration, said Sharma

As his five–year term (after an extension) comes to an end on September 30, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman R S Sharma speaks to Megha Manchanda on the stress in the telecom sector, the many controversies during his tenure, 5G services, pricing, spectrum auction, the need for fibre and more. Edited excerpts:

Is there a sense of concern about the telecom sector as you prepare to leave the regulator’s office? What are your thoughts?

The telecom sector is doing very well. You must have seen that during the pandemic the sector has played a very crucial role. I feel it will continue to play an important role and have a bright future.

Isn’t there a reason to worry?

I have no worry as far as the demand side is concerned. Like every other industry, telecom also has demand and supply side aspects to be taken into consideration. From the demand point of view, the telecom sector would witness an increase. People will demand more data and greater connectivity. Now that 5G is going to come, devices will be connected, you will have machine-to-machine communication. And like any other industry, there will be challenges in terms of customer expectations, pricing, investment etc. These challenges are faced by every industry, not specifically telecom.

With two telecom players running into losses, is the time right for an auction?

The government has to take a call as far as the auction is concerned. The government had asked me for a reserve price of the various spectrum bands and we provided them with the recommendations, two years ago.

What would you say has been the most challenging part of your job as the Trai chief?

We face many challenges in our role, and I would not say these are the challenges faced by R S Sharma. There are successes and failures and Trai is a multi-member body, so the entire credit of anything done cannot be taken by me only. We are just doing our job as regulator, where we have to balance a certain number of things – the health of the industry, the growth of the industry and consumer interest. Therefore, it is not always possible to please everybody….  We are not in a popularity contest. But I would say that as the head of Trai, I have been able to carry forward the legacy of its earlier leadership.

How has the sector changed in the last five years?

In the last five years, things have changed phenomenally in the sector. The number of people with internet has gone upwards of 700 million, the data traffic has changed, the technology has changed from 2G to 4G and the pricing has changed. These developments have changed the shape and nature of the industry, which has transformed itself. Our telecommunication players are doing a great job, they have kept the services alive in this pandemic.

Are there any tasks that you weren’t able to finish? Any regret?

I’m doing my job like a normal human being. I want the industry to prosper and investment to come. We must focus on building a fibre network in the country. Without fibre, there cannot be any 5G and there cannot be reliable broadband connectivity.

At present, there is only one player that has the wherewithal to take up the fibre challenge. Do you think the other two players can compete for their share?

Every player is competent to take the challenge and I think every player is looking at establishing a robust network.

Experts have said that the sector is moving towards a duopoly. Do you agree?

I would not like to get into the debate of whether the sector is moving towards duopoly or monopoly. I feel it’s heading towards a very bright future.

What makes you so optimistic?

The connectivity is much more important now than it ever was, the Digital India programme of the Prime Minister is accelerating very fast, digital transition is happening in the payments space, financial space etc.

In the last five years, there were times when the role of the regulator came under the scanner, especially for not curbing predatory pricing by a telco. Looking back, do you think you could have handled it differently?

I don’t want to comment on that.