Trai suggests govt to exempt fixed line broadband service from licence fee

[mmadhankumar]

Telecom regulator Trai today asked the government to exempt fixed line broadband service from licence fee for at least 5 years and suggested a series of measures to expedite the roll out of high speed network, reports PTI.

It has also suggested a revamp of the government bodies involved in broadband related works, including converting the Wireless Planning Commission into a statutory body.

“To promote fixed line BB (broadband), the licence fee on the revenues earned on fixed line BB should be exempted for at least 5 years,” The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in its recommendation on ‘Delivering Broadband Quickly’.

It has suggested allowing telecom operators to bundle desktops, laptops, tablets and so on with their broadband schemes. “Revenues from such offers ought to be exempted from the applicable license fee at least for a certain number of years (say for three years).”

In February, Trai removed interconnection charges that a landline service provider has to pay to other operators for completing calls. This led BSNL and MTNL promising cut in landline call rates.

The government needs to come out with policy to ease cost burden on telecom companies in laying out underground fibre, it suggested.


Trai suggests govt to exempt fixed line broadband service from licence fee for at least 5 years - Tech2