Debate on fair cost sharing for building digital infra heats up

India is at the forefront of the global debate on whether large video content providers, or apps, should contribute to the building of digital infrastructure that they use to generate large revenue, a top executive at global telecom industry body GSMA said, adding that a revenue share with telcos won't lead to higher content costs for consumers.

Julian Gorman, head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, told ET that the increasing demand for content is pushing telcos to make higher investments in expanding the digital infrastructure, leading to an investment gap, which needs to be addressed at a global level.

"The concept of fair share is being discussed broadly across the world... I think the challenge, the overall problem is how the countries in the world build the infrastructure to support the digital future," said Gorman. "It's clear that there is much more momentum in India...Some of the big global telecom statesman-type people that guide the world are leading that discussion."