To enhance ease of doing business for telecom operators, the department of telecommunications (DoT) on Tuesday introduced changes to the processes for issuing experimental licences, demonstration licences, and equipment type approval (ETA).
These reforms are aimed at reducing delays and simplifying regulatory requirements, fostering innovation and streamlining operations for businesses and telecom operators, the department said in a release.
All applications for ETAs for licence-exempt wireless devices will now be granted on a self-declaration basis, according to the release.
For experimental licences (radiating category), DoT has introduced fixed timelines to ensure quicker approvals. It said that for experimental licence cases not requiring inter-ministerial consultation, the licence will be deemed issued after 30 days if no decision is conveyed.
In cases requiring inter-ministerial consultation, DoT will seek comments within seven days of receiving a complete application. If no comments are received, a provisional licence will be granted after 60 days, which will be converted to a regular licence after 90 days, provided there are no adverse comments.
Similarly, for demonstration licences (radiating category), licences without inter-ministerial consultation will be deemed granted after 15 days. For those requiring consultation, licences will be deemed granted after 45 days once comments are sought from relevant authorities, DoT said.
The changes are based on the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) concerning the enhancement of ease of doing business and simplifying regulatory processes in the telecom sector.
