In a bid to enhance ease of doing business in the telecom sector, the department of telecommunications (DoT) on Monday announced a regulatory sandbox policy to give easy permission for spectrum needed in any kind of trials of equipments and research and development (R&D).
The same assumes significance in the sense that currently academia, R&D labs, telecom service providers, equipment manufacturers, and government departments needed to follow a long process to get DoT’s permission for any spectrum assignment in wireless test zones. Now, the applicants can apply through Saral Sanchar Portal at a nominal charge of Rs 1,000 per spectrum per annum.
In December last year, FE was the first to report that the government was planning second generation reforms for the telecom sector including faster grant of spectrum for trial purposes, including regulatory sandbox. A lot more reforms have been taken by the government in the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
“Through this spectrum regulatory sandbox, we will give very easy portal-based permissions,” communications and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the curtain raiser event of World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA 2024). WTSA will be held in New Delhi from October 15-24.
According to Vaishnaw, the simplified process will do away with the series of requirements, and licences that were needed earlier to get spectrum. The purpose behind developing technology is for utilising and improving efficiency for spectrum bands. With regard to the process, wireless test zones (WiTe Zones) have been divided into two categories viz. experimentation in unassigned and assigned spectrum bands.
The government on Monday also abolished the requirement for Wireless Operating License (WoL), thereby simplifying licensing process. Now, there will be no separate WoL needed for establishing, maintaining, or working of telecommunication including radio equipment.
The government said removal of WoL requirements simplifies the licensing process, and saves time for telecom service providers. DoT also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ericsson for the “Ericsson Educate” programme, designed to enhance digital skills for students in universities.
The collaboration aims to strengthen capacity building and skill development in the 100 5G use case labs, enabling institutes to mentor students and faculties in creating innovative 5G products and use cases, the government said.