India - broadband

TRAI issues recommendations on ‘Growth of Broadband’
see also recommendations

In order to identify various impediments affecting the growth of broadband and to adopt forward looking approach to address all such impediments, the Authority issued its draft recommendations on ‘Growth of Broadband’ on 17th September 2007 and sought the comments of stakeholders. Based on the feedback of stakeholders and best international practices, recommendations have been finalised.

The salient features of TRAI’s recommendations are as follows:
• BSNL and MTNL should be encouraged to appoint franchisees for providing broadband services to supplement their efforts. Any procedural restrictions/ limitations to be addressed immediately.
• TEC should undertake certification of different CPEs model for interoperability for provisioning of the broadband. All CPEs conforming to specifications for interoperability should be displayed on TEC website for the information of customers.
• Incumbents may declare future plans for providing broadband using DSL technology to encourage manufacturing of CPEs within country.
• Government should expedite decision on TRAI’s recommendations regarding mechanism and pricing of Spectrum for 3G & Broadband Wireless Access.
• Spectrum for 3G & WiMAX should be made available at the earliest to boost the deployment of broadband using these technologies.