Telcos will not need major overhaul for on-ground services, says COAI

The telecom sector does not foresee any major changes required for on-ground approvals to carry out services during the extended phase of lockdown, industry body Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) said on Tuesday.

“Any issues that may crop up will be discussed with the Department of Telecom (DoT) for expeditious resolution,” COAI Director General Rajan Mathews said.

Asked if he anticipated job losses in the sector in coming weeks, Mathews said, “at present, our members have not indicated to us any plans to reduce headcount.”

On whether the industry would extend benefits that had been announced recently for low-income prepaid users, such as validity extension and talktime credit, Mathews said, “no decision has been made on what the industry expects to do on that front during the next quarantine period. As soon as any decision is made, members will let us know”.