COAI expects new government to reduce levies after Lok Sabha polls

The telecom industry is hoping that post-elections, whichever government comes to power, will focus on reforms in the sector by reducing various levies. The reforms have been promised in the new telecom policy document prepared by the department of telecommunications.

Reduction in levies like licence fee, spectrum charges and other taxes, has been a long pending demand of telcos, which have been struggling financially over the last couple of years. The new National Digital Communication Policy (NDCP) also talks about rationalisation of telecom sector levies but despite the notification of the policy in November last year, there has been no movement on the issue.