While the foreign telecom operators keep coming to India, the Indian operators are only bound in India. Pointing this out, Ashwini Vaishnaw, cabinet minister for IT and Railways told ET Telecom that the government is making new reforms that aim to strengthen the sector further. These reforms will help the operators in not only providing service in India but also abroad. Vaishnaw said that if foreign operators can come to India, then Indian telcos should also be present in the US, Europe, and more places. The IT minister said that the government will do everything in its power to keep the sector healthy.
Spectrum Pricing and Terms of Payment Being Worked On
Vaishnaw said that the pricing and payment mechanism for the spectrum purchased in the auctions are being worked on currently. The question isn’t whether the spectrum should be auctioned, but how to auction and how should be the terms of payment.
According to Vaishnaw, the government wants to reduce litigation in the sector. This is to ensure that the telcos at all times have enough resources in their hands. Keeping the telecom sector healthy is very important for the government and the citizens of India. If the telcos are healthy and in good shape, they can reach out to the remotest corners of the country and provide network services.
Telecom operators have said that the reason behind the stress on the sector today is the high price of the spectrum and a faulty auction mechanism. The new reforms are being worked on by the government to alleviate the sector with all such issues. These new reforms coupled with tariff hikes and the relief package that was announced two weeks ago will make the sector very healthy in the medium term. It will also ensure that Vodafone Idea stays in the ecosystem of the telecom sector. More details regarding the reforms should come up very soon.
