Page 129 - SAMENA Trends - October-December 2024

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

regulators, industry leaders, and experts from across for spectrum purchased before 2022 auctions. This
South Asia. Hosted by the Telecom Regulatory comes after the DoT has recently issued a notice to
Authority of India (TRAI) in collaboration with the the company asking it to submit the bank guarantees,
Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), this year’s meeting which it is supposed to do as per the rules, a year before
brought together stakeholders to share insights, the moratorium on spectrum payments expires in 2025.
address regulatory challenges, and forge pathways Accordingly, Vodafone Idea needs to submit bank
toward a more inclusive digital ecosystem. Spanning guarantees to the tune of Rs 24,700 crore in tranches,
three days, SATRC-25’s program features key starting September 20. “The company has made
discussions that emphasize the theme of “Accelerating detailed representations to the DoT and continues
Telecommunication and ICT Development for Growth to be engaged with DoT for removal of the bank
and Inclusiveness,” promoting digital transformation guarantee requirements for spectrum acquired before
for economic and social prosperity in the region. The 2022,” Vodafone Idea said in an exchange filing. “This
Meeting was inaugurated by the Shri Jyotiraditya is also an industry task. As and when a final decision is
M. Scindia, Hon’ble Minister of Communications; & taken by the DoT, the company will make the necessary
Minister of Development of North-Eastern Region disclosures as required by law,” Vodafone Idea added.
on the 11th November, 2024 in the presence of Officials said that till the time the government does not
Dr. Pemmasan iChandra Sekhar, Minister of State take a decision to waive off this requirement, issuance
in the Ministry of Communications and Minister of notice is a regulatory requirement. Government
of State in the Ministry of Rural Development. Mr. sources said that inter-ministerial discussions are
Masanori Kondo, Secretary General, Asia Pacific in favor of providing relief to the company. “The
Telecommunity (APT) was present on all three days. company is trying to raise funds for investment to
SATRC-25 elected Mr. Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman improve customer services. The idea is to make the
of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as the Chair company viable,” an official said. Notably, telcos no
of SATRC. SATRC is an initiative under the Asia- longer are required to submit bank guarantees as a
Pacific Telecommunity (APT) that promotes regional payment security for airwaves purchased in auctions
cooperation and harmonized regulatory practices from 2022 onwards. Earlier regulations required them
across South Asia’s telecommunications sector. With to submit a bank guarantee equal to one annual
members including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, installment. Vodafone Idea has also initiated a “fresh
India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, dialogue” with the government on the likely remedies
SATRC is dedicated to creating a digitally inclusive in the AGR (adjusted gross revenue) dues matter after
society by supporting regulatory innovation, policy the Supreme Court recently dismissed its curative
alignment, and cooperative efforts to bridge digital plea on re-computation of the AGR dues. “It’s a very
divides in the region. The SATRC-25 meeting featured clear understanding with them (the government) that
a comprehensive agenda designed to address key we are not in a position to provide bank guarantee
issues in the telecommunications and ICT sectors. The given our current negotiation with the banks. The
meeting addressed several key topics, which included government itself has said the industry has matured
Regulators Roundtable discussion and Regulatory- and as a result may be bank guarantee should not be
Industry Dialogue. (November 13, 2024) www.pib.gov.in required,” Ravinder Takkar, non-executive chairman of
Vodafone Idea, had said during a recent investor call.
Vodafone Idea said the company continues to be He added: “We have received positive feedback from
engaged with the department of telecommunications the government.”
(DoT) for removal of the bank guarantee requirements (October 9, 2024) www.financialexpress.com

Minister of Communications and Digital Application, connection remains largely 2G, which is very slow,”
Meutya V. Hafid, has announced a target for expanding she said. The Ministry of Communications and Digital
4G infrastructure and signal coverage to ensure better Application has laid out a 100-day plan with four main
connectivity in Indonesia’s 3T (frontier, outermost, and priorities:
Indonesia least-developed) regions. “Although internet coverage Organizational Consolidation: This includes
restructuring the ministry’s post-transformation
has reached many areas, much of it remains at the 2G
level, which limits speed and connectivity,” Meutya organization, proposing a revised budget structure,
told a hearing with the House of Representatives” and finalizing regulatory policies;
Commission I in Jakarta. The Ministry plans to focus Digital Infrastructure: Key initiatives involve providing
4G infrastructure development on 65 villages in the equal internet access in the 65 target villages and
first phase, but has not specified which villages will establishing the Indonesia Digital Test House to meet
be included. “In the past, we achieved 97 percent global standards. The ministry also aims to complete
connectivity coverage, but it means little if the two major infrastructure projects: the National Data

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