Success of 5G spectrum auction is a confidence vote of Industry in Government policies: Devusinh Chauhan, MoS, Communications
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has laid down a clear roadmap to address digital divide
Around 1,75,000 villages provided with optical fibre, and around 5,60,000 villages
have 4G mobile facilities
Multi-billion-dollar, comprehensive plan made to ensure optical fibre and
mobile communications in all 6 lakh villages by 2025
ITU’s Regional Standardization Forum (RSF) for Asia and Oceania region to be
inaugurated today
“Today, Indian telecommunications network is the
second largest in the world, with the most cost-effective rates. This growth
has been spurred, by the market friendly policies of the Modi Government.”,
said Devusinh Chauhan, Minister
of State for Communications while elaborating upon the success story of growth
of telecom sector in India. Addressing the inaugural event of
International Telecommunication Union’s Regional Standardization Forum (RSF)
for Asia and Oceania region, he said that India’s policy in the field of
telecommunications formulated under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
is basing on 3 pillars of- “Ease
of Doing Business”, for the industry; “Ease of Living”, for all citizens,
including those, who are living in rural and far-flung areas; and “Atma Nirbhar
Bharat – that is – Self Reliant India”.
As a part of the celebrations during Azadi
ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Communication is hosting the International
Telecommunication Union’s Regional Standardization Forum (RSF) for Asia and
Oceania region. The United Nations (UN) agency event with participants from
around 20 countries of Asia Oceania region was inaugurated here today by
Devusinh Chauhan. Several dignitaries including K Rajaraman, Secretary (Telecom),
Government of India, Manish Sinha, Member (Finance), Digital Communications
Communication (DCC), Government of India, VL Kantha Rao, Additional Secretary
(Telecom), Government of India along with Bilel Jamoussi, Chief of Study Groups
Department, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Atsuko Okuda,
Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and Pacific attended the event.
The theme of Regional Standardization Forum
(RSF) is “Regulatory and Policy aspects of Telecommunications/ICTs”. It will be
succeeded by four-day meeting of International Telecommunication Union-T Study
Group 3 Regional Group Asia and Oceania (ITU-T SG3RG-AO) from 09th August
2022 to 12th August 2022.
Talking
about the positive, and
forward-looking environment created by telecom reforms
in India, the Minister Devusinh Chauhan said that these reforms have been able to promote healthy competition, protect
interests of consumers, infuse liquidity, encourage investment and reduce
regulatory burden on TSPs.’ “As a result, recent 5G spectrum auction, in India
has fetched bids of 20 billion dollars. This very well, reflects the confidence
and sentiments, of the Indian telecom industry.”, he said.
To extend the state-of-the-art telecom facilities, to the
last person of the society and in sync with the ‘Antyodaya’ philosophy, Devusinh
Chauhan said that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has laid down a
clear roadmap to address the digital divide. It includes taking optical fibers
to all 6 lakh villages of the country, and also cover all these villages with
4G mobile communications. He informed the participants that around 1,75,000
villages are already provided with the optical fibre, while around 5,60,000
villages have 4G mobile facilities. A multi-billion-dollar, comprehensive plan
has been made, which will ensure optical fibre and mobile communications in all
six hundred thousand villages by 2025.
Apprising about the 5G rollout in the country, Chauhan
said that the Government of India, is promoting, the indigenously designed,
developed and manufactured advanced telecom technology. As a result, India
today, has a strong home-grown, 5G mobile communications ecosystem. “By the end
of this year, we are likely to see indigenously developed, and manufactured 5G
stack, getting deployed, in rolling out 5G network in India. Our engineers have
developed, a set of 5G standards, which will facilitate the spread of 5G
network in rural area.”, he said.
Highlighting the role of ITU in sustaining and furthering
the rapidly changing Telecom/ICT landscape, Chauhan said that ITU has been
playing a unifying role in forging strategic cooperation and understanding,
between all stakeholders. India has a long association with ITU, and we share
common ideals, regarding the telecommunications landscape.
Devusinh Chauhan said that in line with ITU, India is
also deeply committed, to connect the unconnected, and protect and support
everyone’s right to communicate. India will continue to broaden and deepen its
contribution in fulfilling the vision and objectives of the ITU, he added
further.