Lok Sabha Question No. 1268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Reforms in Telecom Sector
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Vellalath Kochukrishnan Nair. Sreekandan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1268 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH FEBRUARY, 2022

## REFORMS IN TELECOM SECTOR

1268.   SHRI V.K.SREEKANDAN: SHRI MARGANI BHARAT:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government is considering more reforms in telecom sector;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is also true that the Government is inviting recommendations from the industry on  various  issues,  including  improving  quality  of  services,  bridging  digital  gap  and  ensuring security of the telecom networks;
- (d) whether it is  also true that while the  spread of telecom  service  had truly  increased, the quality of services remained an issue;
- (e) if so the steps proposed to improve the quality of telecom services;
- (f) whether the investors in telecom sector are looking for second set of reforms;
- (g) if so, the time by which the second set of reforms is going to be brought; and
- (h) whether there is any plan by the Government to bring down the price of 5G spectrum and if so, the details including the status of 5G auction thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

- (a) & (b) Government brings required reforms in the telecom sector from time to time.
- (c) Regular interactions are being carried out with industry, operators and their associations on  various  issues,  including  improving  quality  of  services,  bridging  digital  gap  and  ensuring security of the telecom networks.

(d) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been monitoring the performance of Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) against the benchmarks, for various Quality of Service (QoS) parameters,  by  way  of  Quality  of  Service  regulations,  issued  from  time  to  time,  through Quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports (PMRs). TSPs are, in general, meeting most of the QoS parameters set by the TRAI.

(e) To  provide  quality  telecom  services  across  the  country,  Government  is  implementing various  schemes/projects  under  Universal  Service  Obligation  Fund  namely  (i)  Left  Wing Extremism  (Phase-I  &II)  projects;  (ii)  Aspirational  Districts  scheme;  (iii)  Commissioning  of Submarine Optical Fibre Cable connectivity from Chennai to Andaman &Nicobar Islands; (iv) Scheme for connecting submarine Optical Fibre Cable from Kochi to Lakshadweep Islands; (v) BharatNet (Phase-I  &II) projects; (vi) Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan  for  mobile connectivity  in  the  North  Eastern  Region;  and  (vii)  Provision  of  4G  mobile  coverage  in uncovered  villages  and  seamless  4G  mobile  coverage  of  National  Highway  (NH  -  223)  in Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  etc.  Government  has  also  taken  several  policy  initiatives  to facilitate  infrastructure  growth  for  delivery  of  quality  services.  These  include  permitting trading/sharing/liberalisation of spectrum, sharing of passive & active infrastructure.

(f) & (g) Reforms in telecom sector is an ongoing process.

(h) 5G spectrum auctions are likely in 2022. TRAI gives  recommendations on various terms and conditions  for  auction  of  spectrum,  which,  inter-alia,  include  reserve  price  of  spectrum  in various frequency bands identified for the International Mobile Telecommunications, including 5G.

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