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New Delhi:
The new Telecommunication Bill 2023 has been passed in the Lok Sabha. The bill allows the government to take over, manage or suspend any telecom service or network for national security reasons. If necessary for public safety, the government may intercept messages on telecom networks. The bill also provides for a 3-year jail term and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh for buying a fake SIM. The bill has now been sent to the Rajya Sabha for final review. This bill will become a law only after its passage and signature of the President.
After the Telecommunications Bill 2023 becomes a law these changes will take place:-
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The new Telecommunication Bill will replace the 138-year-old Indian Telegraph Act. The Indian Telegraph Act currently regulates the telecom sector. The Bill will also replace the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act 1933 and the Telegraph Wire Act 1950. Apart from this, the bill will also amend the TRAI Act, 1997.
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The bill asks telecom companies to make biometric identification mandatory before issuing SIM cards to customers. The bill also provides for 3 years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh for buying a fake SIM.
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The bill excludes over-the-top services (OTT platforms) like e-commerce, online messaging from the definition of telecom services. Last year, when the draft of the Telecommunications Bill was tabled, OTT services were also included in it, causing a huge uproar. Later the government removed it from the bill.
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The bill will also change the licensing system. Currently service providers have to obtain different licenses for different types of services. But once this bill becomes a law, there will be uniformity in licensing.
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The new Telecom Bill also stipulates that consumers will have to seek their consent before sending advertisements and promotional messages for goods and services. A company providing telecom services has to create an online mechanism, so that users can lodge their complaints online.
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The bill has a provision for administrative allocation of telecom spectrum, which will speed up the commissioning of services.
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The bill also proposes to empower the government to administratively allocate satellite spectrum. So far, telecom companies have participated in the auction and submitted bids to win the spectrum.
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Critics of the law have alleged that the bill will reduce TRAI to a mere rubber stamp, as the bill greatly weakens the regulator’s powers.
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The bill also has a provision to allow the appointment of private sector corporate executives to the role of TRAI chairman. This provision can start a debate.
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The new bill will benefit foreign companies like American businessman Elon Musk’s Starlink. However, this could hurt Jio.