Telecom: Expand those signals and reduce noise

India's Telecom Bill aims to reset regulation in a way that will brighten the sector's future. This is welcome. But the government ought to reconsider features that cause dissonance

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The Telecommunications Bill, 2023, makes one policy choice clear. If enacted, spectrum for satellite broadband services will be awarded via administrative allocation, rather than auctions. This is pragmatic and provides clarity for an emerging field of telecom that is expected to expand connectivity. It aligns India with US norms and sets the stage for global players to enter. This proposal, though, needs to shake off an overhang of the Supreme Court's 2G spectrum allotment ruling of 2012, which cancelled the licences of 122 entities and recommended auctions of scarce natural resources. While the government is certain it has space to determine policy, it is advisable to legal-proof the decision against future litigation. By keeping business expectations stable, it would catalyse investments in new service The Telecom Bill also has grey zones, however, that call for a closer look. For instance, its definitions of telecom, telecom services and what constitutes a message are so broad that it potentially leaves a door open for wide interpretation.