Key Features Of The National Telecom Policy 2012

(The following are the key features of the National Telecom Policy 2012 approved by the Cabinet on 31/05/2012. Detailed analysis will be made after seeing the full text of the Policy, which is yet to be circulated by the DoT.)

1. To increase the rural tele density from the present 35% (38.33% on 31/03/2012)  to 60% by 2017 and to 100% by 2020
2. To provide broadband on demand by 2015,(13.79 millions on 31/03/2012 and 13.54 million on 29/02/2012) and to achieve a target of 175 million broadband users by 2017 and 600 million by 2020
3. Broadband speed to be revised to 512 kbps and further to 2Mbps by 2015 and 100 Mbps by 2020
4. To make India a global hub for telecom equipment manufacturing
5. Majority of telecom networks to be domestically manufactured by 2020
6. To abolish roaming charges on mobile phones  and allow users to retain the same number across the country
7. Licenses to be delinked from spectrum
8. To put in place legal, regulatory  and licensing frame work for convergence of services, networks and devices
9. Allow  sharing of networks
10. Unified licensing allowing operator to offer any service
11. Allowing resale of services
12. Mergers and Acquisitions to be relaxed to allow consolidation
13. All future spectrum allocation will be at market rates
14. Allow spectrum pooling, sharing and trading
15. Refarming of spectrum
16. To promote using of white space with low power devices
17. Free 300 MHz for commercial telephony by 2017 and another 200 MHz by 2020
18. Building capacity for lawful interception and monitoring
19. Standardization of telecom equipment
20. Government and private sector to share cost for implementing the security measures
21. Strong and independent regulator with more powers
22. DoT to look after licensing and spectrum allocation and Ministry of Communications to focus on policy making
23. Review Indian Telegraph Act in consultation with stake holders
24. Strengthen DoT units to monitor and enforce license conditions
25. Rationalization of taxes affecting the sector to make services more affordable
26. Creation of telecom finance corporation to facilitate investment in the sector