DoT may bring digital apps under licensing purview in draft telecom bill

The companies will convey their fears during the consultation process

Digital app companies fear that the draft Communications Bill might lead to a ‘regulatory overreach’ with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) incorporating powers from other ministries such as the Electronics and IT Ministry and the Information & Broadcasting Ministry.

The companies say that the DoT’s initial consultation paper in July on the need for a legal framework for governing telecom services made no mention of any desire to bring services like OTT communications services and electronic mail under its licensing ambit by incorporating it as 'communication services' on a par with telecom services. The DoT had asked stakeholders to submit