DoT eases process to issue licences for trial, demo, equipment approvals

The Department of Telecom has eased the process to issue licences for experimental, demonstration and equipment-type approvals to reduce delays and simplify regulatory requirements to promote innovation and streamline operations for businesses, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The changes have been made based on the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on ease of doing business and simplifying regulatory processes in the telecom sector.

The department has induced deem approval process for experimental and demonstration licence while all the applications for equipment type approvals (ETA) for license-exempt wireless devices will now be granted on a self-declaration basis.

"For Experimental Licences cases not requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the licence will be deemed issued after 30 days if no decision is conveyed," the statement said.

In cases requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the DoT will seek comments within seven days of receiving a complete application.

"If no comments are received, a provisional licence will be granted after 60 days, which will be converted to a regular licence after 90 days, provided there are no adverse comments," the statement said.

Demonstration Licences (Radiating Category), licences without Inter-Ministerial Consultation will be deemed granted after 15 days and for those requiring consultation, licences will be deemed granted after 45 days once comments are sought from relevant authorities.

All the applications of Equipment Type Approvals (ETA) for licence-exempt wireless devices will now be granted on a self-declaration basis.

Applicants seeking ETA permit can submit their applications through the SARAL Sanchar portal.

"This self-declaration process is expected to significantly reduce the time and effort required for approvals, benefiting companies looking to deploy wireless equipment in the Indian market," the statement said.

However, ETA holders will need to obtain the necessary clearances, such as a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), before importing equipment into India.