Vodafone Idea (Vi), India's third-largest telecom operator, said that the Telecommunications Bill of 2023, tabled in Parliament, represents a watershed moment in the telecom reform process and reaffirms the commitment of the Government to provide Indian telecom with a future-fit framework that helps achieve the growth aspirations of new India.
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"The Bill carries several forward-looking provisions that will help deliver the benefits of digital connectivity to all our citizens. We warmly welcome the rationalisation of penalties and the legal enforceability of right of way provisions, a long-standing request of the industry," said Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea.
Moondra added, "Security of telecom networks is paramount, and the Bill recognises telecom as critical infrastructure and prescribes punitive consequences for those who damage it. By highlighting the duties of users, the Bill puts equal responsibility on consumers to meet the requirements of national security."
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Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tabled the Telecommunication Bill in Lok Sabha on Monday, aiming to eliminate three archaic laws: the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.
