Telecom bill attempts spectrum, licensing, dispute resolution reforms

From the refarming of spectrum, unified authorisation for telecom services and more streamlined digital resolution rules, to a rebranded Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), Telecom Bill has introduced a firsts.

Tabled on Monday, the Bill has accepted long-standing demand by telecom companies to be able to repurpose spectrum bands to more efficient technologies and services. Currently, they can only utilise spectrum they have received, for the single use case the government had notified in the auctions.

In a key move, it has also allowed telecom firms to surrender spectrum if they are unutilised. However, the government will not return the amount already paid by the company, people in the know said.