Draft Telecom Bill: Summary And Issues

DoT has recently proposed a consolidation and overhaul of the law around telecommunications in India, replacing the old existing legislations. This article summarizes the key provisions of the proposed bill and identifies issues in the proposals.

I. Introduction

The Department of Telecommunications ('DoT'), under the aegis of the Ministry of Communications, released the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 ('the Draft Bill') on 21st September 2022 and is currently accepting public comments on the same. The proposed bill has introduced some major changes in the existing telecommunications services and infrastructure regime in India, intending to update the extant regulatory framework and match it with the advancements and challenges in the telecom sector.