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DoT moves wireless license clearances to digital platform

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), as a part of ease of doing business, has Monday moved the wireless licensing regime to the Saral Sanchar portal, with effect from August 1.

“In view of the government policy on ease of doing business and making licensing process transparent, it has been decided that all licenses which are being issued by DoT, including various licenses issued by WPC Wing, shall be issued through the online system on Saral Sanchar portal,” the department in a notification said.

WPC or Wireless Planning & Coordination Wing carries out statutory functions of the Ministry of Communications, and its division, the Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocation (SACFA) offers clearances for radiowaves deployments in the country.

Under the phase – I, the online licensing scheme would cover SACFA, fixed and mobile frequencies below and above 806 MHz, telecom network, mobile satellite service, terrestrial broadcast, and links for Internet service providers.

The other license modules of the wireless division, according to the circular, were under the developing stage and would be notified shortly.

The department, however, allowed offline applications until July 31, while the online mechanism would kick in from August 1.

Following the industry demand to bring in digital clearance mechanism, suggesting that such a move would bring in transparency and much needed time efficiency, the department headed by then secretary Aruna Sundararajan, had for the first time in September 2018 allowed such a process for import licensing regime.

Delhi-based Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), early this year alleged that despite the process moving to a digital platform, the department’s wireless wing was taking much time in clearing applications.

-Telecom Techie

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