The Hindu : Business : Fixed line telephony to be exempted from licence fee

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Fixed line telephony to be exempted from licence fee

Special Correspondent

Players asked to connect all villages
3G mobile broadband access norms soon

— PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

RURAL CONNECTIVITY: Union Minister for Communications and IT A. Raja flanked by Sunil Bharti Mittal (left), Chairman and Group CEO, Bharti Enterprises, and Rob Conway, CEO and Member of the Board, GSMA, at a seminar in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja on Friday said the Centre would exempt fixed line telephony from the licence fee, which is charged as a percentage of adjusted gross revenue (AGR), to boost tele-density and broadband connections in rural areas.

“The new initiative will help companies, particularly private operators, to launch cheaper services in rural areas. I have already asked the Telecom Commission to deliberate on the issue,” Mr. Raja said here at a function organised by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Telecom revolution

Pointing out that despite a tele-density of nearly 25 per cent, 70 per cent of the population does not enjoy the fruits of telecom revolution, Mr. Raja asked the private and public sector telecom operators to come forward and connect all the villages so that rural folks were not deprived of the fruits of telecom revolution.

“The Government will give these companies all support to help take telecom revolution to rural areas,” Mr. Raja added.

Mr. Raja also said that the Centre would shortly come out with detailed guidelines on 3G (Third Generation) mobile broadband access. “Globally, 3G mobile services are taking off exponentially.

The services will play a key role in taking India to the next level. We will soon come out with detailed guidelines on 3G mobile broadband access,” he added.

Innovative services

In urban centres, 3G services would change the way people function.

It would offer innovative mobile services including rich multimedia content of the Internet.

In rural areas, 3G would make immense contribution in uplifting the living standards of the people, he said, adding that as a key tool for undertaking social initiatives such as education, medicine and health services, 3G services would play a crucial role.

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