DoT panel for common telecom and TV operators

In a bid to provide hassle-free services to telecom and broadcasting customers under one umbrella, a high-level committee of the Department of Telecom (DoT) has recommended unified licensing system that allows a single company to provide all services like mobile, landline, DTH and cable TV without necessarily owning full infrastructure.

Unified licence regime

The DoT committee has, in its report on Unified Licencing regime under National Telecom Policy 2012, proposed a new kind of licence—Unified Licence (Service Delivery)—that can be used by its holder to use infrastructure of other companies to deliver all kind of communication services to its subscribers.

This new service operator may not be required to own complete infrastructure for delivering the services as required at present.

The report also said the end-user would be able to “interact with only one operator for all his needs such as fixed telephone, mobile phone and broadband access through fixed line, wireless broadband access, cable television, satellite television, IPTV for residential users. Further, a single billing would be feasible.”

The Telecom Commission, an inter-ministerial body, is expected to meet by the end of February to discuss these recommendations.