Road map of new telecom policy laid

NEW DELHI: The government has laid out guiding principles and road map of new telecom policy ( NTP) which will ensure connectivity and affordable data for all, quality of services, besides privacy, data protection and data security.

The new policy, which is aimed at being more consumer centric, will also have contours of lighttouch regulation in order to improve ease of doing business, that will benefit the industry and will have elements of ensuring financial stability required for bringing in investments.

“The guiding principles will include the vision for Digital India and focus on telecom as an enabler of economic growth, protecting consumer interest, which includes connectivity and affordability for all, ensuring privacy, data protection and cyber security,” a senior official said.

“Promoting and ensuring competition, light-touch and future proof regulation in conformity with ease of doing business, have been set out as well. Further, the broad guidelines will look at ensuring the financial stability and sustainable growth of the sector, so that adequate investments can come in for new technologies,” the official added.

The road map on the new policy, which will succeed NTP 2012, was approved by the telecom commission on Friday. The draft of the new policy should be ready for approval by November 30, so that it is made open for consultation by December this year. A Cabinet note on the policy will be issued by January 2018, and the final policy should be out by March, the senior official said.