New policy to separate DoT functions

In a major restructuring exercise, the new telecom policy will separate the licensing and spectrum allocation functions from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which will continue to retain the policy-making area.

The subordinate/attached offices of DoT will be entrusted with the licensing and spectrum allocation work, a senior official of the department said today. However, the DoT will remain the final authority for any decision, he told Business Standard.

The move will also enable the department to bring in more transparency in licensing norms and procedures, which will promote investment and lead to a consolidation and increased efficiency, the official said.

This is part of the restructuring exercise, which will be undertaken to streamline the various functions of the DoT. The proposal has already been incorporated in the draft National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011.

Recently, Communications and IT minister Kapil Sibal had spoken about the government’s plan to announce by this month-end the final draft of the NTP 2011. The draft will be put in the public domain for comments and discussions after the release.

The field units of DoT will be strengthened to enable them to monitor and implement the license conditions, besides coordinating with the law enforcement agencies, the draft said.

Other units of the department, such as wireless monitoring organisation and the public grievances cell, will also be strengthened to address the issues and ensure quality of service.

DoT has been working on the modalities of the new policy after a decade of NTP in 1999.

The need for a new policy assumed importance following the alleged 2G spectrum controversy, under which the former communications and IT minister A Raja and other officials of corporate are under judicial custody.

The draft plan also includes sharing of spectrum amongst operators, introduction of mobile virtual network operator, setting up of a spectrum committee to review use of spectrum and a uniform license fee across various services.

The new policy will also spell out the new norms for mergers and acquisitions, enhancing rural coverage, spectrum allocation amongst other things.