The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has floated a new consultation paper to study existing processes, identify bottlenecks, and come up with new requirements in the telecom sector. To promote ease of doing business, the paper asks for suggestions on simplifying the approval processes for the telecom products and services under various ministries, including the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the IT Ministry, and TRAI itself. The Indian government is currently pursuing aggressive reforms in the telecom sector, getting rid of paperwork and approvals where possible. While stakeholders have been calling for reforms, it might lead to security and environmental concerns taking a back seat. Comments on the consultation paper can be submitted by January 5, 2022, via email to dyadvbcs-1@trai.gov.in. You can read the full paper here. TRAI accepting suggestions for changes in all telecom licenses What types of improvements is TRAI considering? In the consultation paper, TRAI has asked if the present system of granting licenses needs any improvement in the ease of doing business, on the following fronts: Online Processes: Whether all processes, including submission of documents, cancellation of license etc. can be conducted online Timeline: Whether more precise and well-defined timelines for granting permissions or responding to queries can be created Outdated information: Whether application forms are archaic and contain information that's no longer required Integration: Whether more seamless integration and approvals across various ministries/ departments with the end-to-end online system is required Which certificates/licenses are included? In the consultation paper, TRAI has listed out all…
