While speaking to press on the successful completion of spectrum auctions, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad ensured that all the auctions to be held in future will be transparent and done in a timely manner, providing enough time for the industry to prepare well in advance. He also denied the rumors that the spectrum is scarce.
"We ensured the defence vacated spectrum and proved the rumors of spectrum being scarce wrong," he said. In the auction concluded in March, the Government raised Rs. 109, 874. 91 crore, which can be termed as the biggest ever.
Minister also expressed his concern on the present internet condition in the country. “It need to be improved”, he said. "For me any new initiative must have twin objectives, consumer interest and growth of telecom and IT sector," he added.
“The private players play a strong role in distributing services like e-commerce, e-education, e-health, e-entertainment etc. in rural areas of the country”, Minister said. He also shared few plans that Government is currently focusing. The idea to provide broadband connectivity to village panchayats is one among them, for which the roadmap is ready.
The committee established for suggesting ways to fast track national optical fibre network (NOFN) has submitted the report and the Government will provide the details soon.
Speaking about net neutrality issue, Prasad said that the Government always stand for the access to internet in a non-discriminatory manner. “After it receives the report and recommendations from TRAI, Government will take decision on the same”, he added.
