THE DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS believes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of improving the ease of doing business. For the department, this means one major reform per month. Telecom secretary J.S. Deepak, in an exclusive conversation with BW Businessworld’s Suman K. Jha, opens up on various issues related to the upcoming spectrum auctions and Reliance Jio’s entry in the market. Excerpts:
The upcoming spectrum auctions take place at a time when rock-bottom tariffs have been introduced in the market. There’s a feeling that major players may be conservative in the auctions. Does that worry you?
If you look at the sector as a whole, it is propelled by two things — one is private enterprise, risk taking and investments, and, second is competition. This (Reliance Jio) entry would add to both competition and private investments, so in that sense, it should help the sector.
It is also feared that an expensive auction would push the sector further in a debt trap…
The auction is about putting out a lot of spectrum in the hand of operators, both in volume, as well as in variety. The defining feature of this auction is not so much about the price you talk of, but about the fact that any operator can choose and buy the spectrum missing in his bouquet to improve the quality of their services. It has been a continuous complaint of the industry that it is starved of spectrum and therefore, is not able to provide quality service. After this auction, this complaint should be a thing of the past, and spectrum scarcity of fragmentation being an impediment in providing quality services would no longer exist in India.
Are you confident of your expected figures?
I don’t know what you mean by expected figures. Every auction has some spectrum put out for sale. All of it is not expected to be sold. There is unsold spectrum too. So, I expect unsold spectrum in this auction also, but there is a lot of spectrum for which there is robust demand.
It’s feared that the entry of Reliance Jio (RJio) will push the players in the 6th and 7th position out of business. Will you help in ensuring a level-playing field?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 3, 2016 من Businessworld.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 3, 2016 من Businessworld.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
MEMORIES & IMPRESSIONS
Ratan Tata was an exceptional human being. He was a visionary leader, esteemed industrialist, and a humanitarian, who left an indelible mark on India and the world.
The Robotaxi Market
The robotaxi market is shaping up to be a high-stakes battleground as tech giants and automakers race to transform urban mobility.
And the Nobel Prize Goes to AI
The recent Nobel Prize T awards to AI pioneers affiliated with Google have sparked a broader conversation about Big Tech's influence on research and the limitations of traditional prize categories.
Ola Electrified
Once considered a trailblazer in India’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric now faces a major accountability crisis.
Sharp Slide in Industrial Output on Eve of Deepavali
India’s index of industrial production (IIP) saw a sharp reversal in August, contracting by 0.1 per cent, in stark contrast to the 4.7 per cent growth in July, mostly because of significant contractions in mining and electricity generation.
Heralding the Solar Era with Sustainable Electrification
RAJEEV KASHYAP on the economics of solar power, the hurdles in scaling it, and much more
A WELL-GREASED MACHINE
The OmniBook X14 laptop runs on first-generation Snapdragon X Elite, which bets big on Al-enabled productivity and battery life, but falls short when it comes to overall experience, says Deep Majumdar
DO NOT LETA HEALTH CRISIS RUIN YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH
For a family of four living in a metro, it is recommended to opt for a family floater health insurance plan with a sum insured of at least Rs 15-20 lakh
Disruption Ahead: Beyond Organisation Charts and Structures
ALBERT EINSTEIN FAMOUSLY said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Dr. Rahul Shivajirao Kadam: A Visionary Leader Blending Sustainability, Innovation, And Social Empowerment
We are on the stage of global warming, and these technologies not only help prevent further damage but also leave behind a better environment for future generations.
