Moving towards a new era of digital communications, Department of Telecom (DoT) and Government of India has officially unveiled the first draft of the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018. It seeks to unlock the transformative power of digital communications networks, which is moving at an amazing pace.
The main vision of National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 is to support India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society. To achieve this it envisages three Missions – Connect India, which aims to create a robust digital communications infrastructure across India. Propel India by enabling next-generation technologies and services through investments, innovation and IPR generation. Finally Secure India by ensuring sovereignty, safety and security of digital communications.
As its a draft, you could actually provide suggestion and views on National Telecom Policy. Based on these suggestions and recommendations, DoT and Govt of India would improve the final National Digital Communications Policy, 2018.
Key highlights from National Digital Communications Policy, 2018
- Every Indian to get minimum 50 Mbps internet speed.
- Provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats of India by 2020 and 10 Gbps by 2022.
- 100 Mbps broadband on demand to all key development institutions, including all educational institutions.
- 50 percent of Indian households to get fixed line broadband access.
- To deploy more than 10 million public Wi-Fi Hotspots.
- Connectivity to all uncovered areas of India.
- Further liberalizing the spectrum sharing, leasing and trading regime.
- Optimal Pricing of Spectrum to ensure sustainable and affordable access to Digital Communications.
- Transparent and fair mode of spectrum allocation by developing a fair, flexible, simple and transparent method for spectrum assignments and allocations.
- Ensuring the optimum utilisation of spectrum by management of interference free spectrum and encouraging new technologies and consolidation.
- Recognising mid-band spectrum, particularly the 3 GHz to 24 GHz range, as central to India’s strategy for Next-Generation Networks.
- Investments of USD 100 Billion in the Digital Communications Sector.
- Creation of innovation led Start-ups in Digital Communications sector.
- Expand IoT ecosystem to 5 Billion connected devices.
- Establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals and facilitates India’s effective participation in the global digital economy.
- Ensure that net neutrality principles are upheld and aligned with service requirements, bandwidth availability and network capabilities including next generation access technologies.
You can read the complete details of National Digital Communications Policy 2018 right here on DoT website. Don’t forget to share your suggestions and views regarding the same.