TRAI’s EoDB recommendations to boost telecom infrastructure deployment, DIPA

Digital Infrastructure Providers Association, applauds Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for releasing the recommendations for ease of doing business in the Telecom and Broadcasting sector.

TRAI recently released the recommendations on “Ease of Doing Business in Telecom and Broadcasting Sector”. The recommendations strive to create a process-based approach on EoDB. TRAI envisions that such an eco- system will pave way for a periodic review and further reforms.

The recommendations encourage the creation of a user-friendly, transparent and responsive digital single window system based portal. The portal should be enabled with new digital technologies for achieving end-to-end inter- ,departmental online processes. Each Ministry should establish a standing EoDB Committee to regularly review, simplify and update the existing processes and ensure ease of doing business as an on-going activity.

According to DIPA, these recommendations have come at a very right time to ease the burden of compliance on the telecom sector , streamline the verification process for license fees and spectrum usage charges. The success of such digital initiatives is central to realizing India’s dream of being a leading digital economy – having superior digital infrastructure and availability to every citizen, with governance and services on-demand, as well as digital empowerment of every citizen.

Applauding the TRAI’s recommendations, T.R.Dua, Director-General, Digital Infrastructure Providers Association, said,’’ To meet the targets laid down by National Broadband Mission- 65% of the telecom towers need to be fiberized and 12 Lakh Telecom towers to be deployed by FY 2023-24, these recommendations on Ease of Doing Business facilitates the creation of robust digital infrastructure at a faster pace and thus, giving big boost to the deployment of telecom infrastructure in the country. In the process of development, our transitioning economy has been through various phases and now, it’s stepping into the ultimate future. With the nation moving fast towards a robust digital infrastructure, I must say, the acceleration has just begun, we are merely at the cusp and still have a long way to go.”

The advent of the Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal is already proving to be a game-changer in terms of getting long-awaited RoW applications approved quickly and efficiently. The telecom industry has noticed a significant reduction in the time taken to get permissions for the installation of telecom towers and the laying of optical fibre cables across all states since the portal’s inception.

CT Bureau