The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has further extended the deadline for submission of comments on the Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill 2022. The revised timeline stands as November 10, 2022.
Initially, the deadline for submission of comments was October 20, 2022, which was later extended to October 30, 2022. However, as per recent announcement by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Railways, the timeline for submitting the comments on the Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill 2022 has been revised to November 10, 2022.
The draft telecom bill, unveiled on September 21, 2022, has enlarged the definition of telecom services and brought over-the-top (OTT) communication services (such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram), satellite-based communication services, internet and broadband services, inflight and maritime connectivity services amongst others under its ambit. Among several provisions, the bill also notes that going forward, airwaves could be assigned either through auctions or the administrative route, depending on requirements. The draft bill, once framed into Act, will govern the telecom sector.
