Latest news with #TelecommunicationAct
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Nashik civic body exempts telecom companies from paying realty tax for towers
Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has exempted telecom companies from paying property tax on mobile towers with effect from Jan 2025. However, the telcos will have to clear their dues until Dec 2024. The civic body took this decision following the guidelines of the urban development department of state govt. As per section 14 (3) of the Telecommunication Act, 2023, the telecommunication network installed at any property will not be considered part of property, nor will any property tax or duty be applicable to that property. Recently, the Centre expressed its disappointment with the civic bodies in various states for not implementing the Act. Accordingly, the urban development department of state govt sent a letter to the civic bodies in February this year, asking them to not include mobile towers for property tax. The civic administration subsequently tabled the proposal during a meeting of its general body and it was approved. According to the property tax department of the NMC, there are a total of 596 mobile towers across Nashik city, and the annual property tax demand from these mobile towers was Rs 7 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Historic Cars Every Enthusiast Should Know Undo However, some telcom companies with mobile towers in the city have property tax dues of Rs 52.69 crore pending for the past few years. Ajit Nikat, deputy commissioner (taxation) of municipal corporations, said, "We have exempted all the mobile towers in the city from paying property tax effective from Jan 2025. But they will have to pay the dues they have until Dec 2024. We have instructed the divisional officers from all six divisions of the civic body to collect the dues from the telecom companies concerned." Another NMC official said although the mobile towers have been exempted from property tax, the civic body will lease its spaces to the telcom companies to install the towers. "This will help the NMC earn some revenue through leasing their properties for the setting up of mobile towers," the official said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Mint
30-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Big tech firms cry foul over India's new phone verification rules, cite privacy concern, costs
India's proposed new cybersecurity rules under the Telecom Act threaten to pull everyday apps such as WhatsApp, Netflix, and Amazon under the country's telecom regulations—just because they use phone numbers. The proposal, aimed at boosting cybersecurity, has sparked alarm among the global tech giants over user privacy, hefty compliance costs, and the overall future of India's digital economy, and they have written to the government expressing their anguish. The proposed rules also call for inclusion of other key services such as online banking, shopping, education, and even physical stores, under the law for their use of telecom identifiers like mobile numbers, to identify or interact with users. Simply put, almost every digital service today—from chatting on WhatsApp to shopping on Amazon—uses telecom identifiers such as phone numbers to log users in, send one-time passwords (OTPs), or deliver notifications. The department of telecommunications (DoT) had floated the draft rules on 24 June and had invited comments on the same till 23 July. The government is currently evaluating the feedback. Under the draft rules, these companies need to verify that the phone numbers their users give actually belong to them, and that would entail a cost burden. The verification will have to be done by checking those numbers against telecom databases upon government direction or by using a government-owned mobile number validation platform at a fee. The objective of the Telecommunication Act, 2023 (Telecom Act) and the provisions under which these rules have been promulgated is to 'protect and ensure the cyber security of telecommunication networks and telecommunication services". The Draft Amendment Rules, instead of advancing this objective of cyber security, extend the scope of the law by seeking to regulate a class of entities that lie entirely outside the Parent Act framework," said Broadband India Forum (BIF) in its submission to the department of telecommunications (DoT). A copy of the submission was seen by Mint. The Broadband India Forum, which represents big tech companies in the country, says the expansion of scope to non-telecom entities and OTTs goes against what the then communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said in 2023—that these apps are not within the Telecom Act's ambit and remain governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000. Even as the government intends to curb cybercrime and identity theft through the new rules, the big tech companies see this move as a backdoor attempt to bring them under the Telecom Act, a long-running and controversial issue between telecom and tech companies. Telecom operators have been lobbying the government to bring OTT apps under a comparable regulatory framework, claiming it would level the playing field and ensure fair competition. Tech firms argue that this would stifle innovation, impose disproportionate compliance costs, and create overlapping legal frameworks. As per the latest proposed rules, the government can also ask non-telecom entities to provide information about the telecom identifiers they use—like phone numbers or device IDs. This information should be sent digitally from specific locations so that it can be saved and processed, as per the rules. 'Telecommunication identifier user entity (TIUEs) only use telecom identifiers (like mobile numbers) for user communication, registration, or service delivery, not for network-level operations and hence, introducing obligations related to data access, suspension/blocking, validation of telecom identifiers upon them does not serve the purpose of protecting or ensuring telecom cyber security," the Broadband India Forum said, adding that the draft rules overlap with existing regulatory frameworks under sectoral laws, including the IT Act, cyber security framework for banks by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), among others. At the centre of the issue lies the compliance burden on the entities, fees associated with validation requests, and user privacy issues with data sharing. Technology firms told the government that there is no clarity on the scope and frequency of validation requests, the type of information exchanged or stored by the platform or the procedural safeguards to prevent misuse and ensure user privacy. 'In the absence of defined limits, oversight protocols, or purpose restrictions, the system raises the risk of user profiling, unlawful personal data processing and data sharing," the Broadband India Forum said, adding that the framework could undermine user trust. As per the draft rules, the companies will incur a cost of ₹1.5 per request of user mobile number validation upon government direction, or ₹3 per request if the companies want to do validation on their own through the government portal. According to a regulatory impact assessment by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International, with this fee being introduced, digital platforms may face annual compliance costs in the range of tens to thousands of crores. 'Overall, increased costs and exclusion risks may reduce digital adoption, hinder competition, and result in an estimated ₹2.5 trillion loss to the digital economy even at a 10% compliance, potentially excluding 4,000–5,000 potential startups from the market, and risking a loss of nearly 150,000–200,000 direct jobs," CUTS International said in its submission to the government. For example, PhonePe, having the largest user base in UPI transactions and processing nearly 282 million daily transactions, may incur a cost of over ₹1,500 crore if merely 10% of its users are subjected to mobile number validation, according to CUTS. Further, Zomato, with 30.7 million weekly active users, may face validation costs of over ₹24 crore annually, in a similar situation, the consumer body said. One of the concerns raised by the companies is over failure of verification. 'If verification fails due to mismatched subscriber details, these users may be locked out of essential services like digital payments, education and healthcare," CUTS said. The proposed rules require manufacturers of telecommunication equipment to verify International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers against the government-maintained database of tampered or restricted IMEIs. IMEI is a unique 15-digit number assigned to every mobile phone or device that connects to a cellular network. This could interfere with production timelines, hamper the rollout of new devices in India, and even lead to severe impacts if the government's database experiences technical issues, according to tech companies. The rules also propose that entities buying or selling used cellular devices must verify their IMEIs for a fee of ₹10 per verification. CUTS said, second-hand device markets, relied on by millions in the country, may also be affected by the ₹10 IMEI verification fee, reducing affordability and impacting access for the poor. Among other key changes proposed by the government is temporary and permanent suspension of telecom identifiers without prior notice. The companies have expressed concerns that the same will potentially impact the access of millions of users to various digital platforms and services that depend on phone number-based authentication (for instance, for two-factor-authentication, logins, password recovery, etc). Such action risks violating users' rights to access digital communication and essential services, especially in the absence of a formal judicial or independent review mechanism, they said.
NDTV
29-06-2025
- NDTV
7 Arrested For Carrying Banned Electronic Walkie-Talkie Sets On India-Nepal Border
Bahraich: The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has arrested seven people with five banned frequency hopping enabled electronic walkie-talkie sets at Rupaidiha on the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, an official on Sunday said. The seven apprehended were handed over to police, he said. Police registered a case against those arrested under sections of the Telecommunication Act, Indian Telegraph Act and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act on the complaint of a SSB officer. The arrested suspects, who are residents of Maharashtra's Pune and Thane, and Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich, Bijnor and Kushinagar districts, have been sent to jail. The SSB said that the arrested returned after meeting the officials of Islamic Union of Nepal, an organisation based in that country, which receives funding from the Pakistani agencies. "During checking by the SSB at Rupaidiha border on the evening of June 27, seven people travelling in an SUV from Nepal were stopped. Five banned frequency hopping enabled electronic walkie-talkie sets were recovered from their possession," 42nd Battalion Commandant Ganga Singh Udawat told PTI. "The use of frequency hopping enabled sets is prohibited in India without a license. In this technology, the frequency keeps changing continuously during the conversation, which makes it extremely difficult to intercept," he said. Udawat said that after finding suspicious walkie-talkies, all were questioned by various security agencies. These people could not give any valid reason for taking the banned frequency hopping enabled walkie-talkies to Nepal, he added. It came to light during interrogation that one of the arrested persons, identified as Mohammad Muslim, a resident of Pune, used to live in Matera area of Bahraich earlier, said the official and added that he settled in Pune around 15-20 years ago to do catering business. "Mohammad Muslim came to Bahraich on June 24 for his daughter's wedding. On June 26, Mohammad Muslim went to the neighboring country Nepal with his companions Bilal Abdul Rehman Sheikh and Munir Yusuf Sheikh (from Pune in Maharashtra), Temeshwar Bhondve (from Thane in Maharashtra), Achalesh Kumar (Bijnor, UP), Shankar Pandey (Kushinagar, UP) and Changur Ahmed (Bahraich)," the commandant said. "In Nepal, they met a person named Naseem Sheikh, all of them stayed at his house for one night. Naseem Sheikh is associated with an organization called Islamic Sangh of Nepal which is funded by Pakistani agencies," he added. "In view of all this, we consider this incident as a suspicious security threat and a case has been registered against all the seven persons under the Telecommunication Act 2023, Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933 at Rupaidiha Police Station on June 28," Udawat said. "The accused were handed over to police and sent to jail," he added. The commandant further said all aspects of this incident are being investigated.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
TRAI initiates discussion on assignment of microwave spectrum in lower 6 GHz, E and V Bands
New Delhi, May 28 (PTI) Telecom regulator TRAI on Wednesday floated a consultation paper on assignment of the microwave spectrum in lower 6 GHz, 7 GHz, 13 GHz, 15 GHz, 18 GHz, 21 GHz bands, as well as E and V bands. TRAI has fixed June 25, 2025 as deadline for comments and July 9 for counter comments. You may be interested in "...a consultation paper on assignment of the microwave spectrum in 6 GHz (lower), 7 GHz, 13 GHz, 15 GHz, 18 GHz, 21 GHz Bands, E-Band, and V-Band has been placed on the TRAI's website for seeking comments and counter-comments from stakeholders," the regulator said. In 2022, Department of Telecom (DoT) had approached TRAI to provide recommendations for assignment of spectrum in E&V bands and Microwave Access (MWA) as well as Microwave Backbone (MWB) spectrum in the said frequency bands. Post that, TRAI had released a consultation paper on assignment of spectrum in E&V bands, and Microwave Access (MWA) & Microwave Backbone (MWB) for soliciting comments of stakeholders on the subject. Meanwhile, the Telecommunication Act, 2023 was enacted in December 2023. In light of the provisions of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 in respect of radio backhaul for telecommunication services, TRAI, via a letter in February 2024, conveyed that the telecom department may want to review its 2022 reference. "In response, DoT, through a fresh reference letter dated 13.09.2024, while agreeing to the TRAI's observation that backhaul spectrum is a part of the First Schedule of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 for which the assignment method would be administrative, requested TRAI to provide recommendations under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997," TRAI said. The aspects included demand assessment and scope of service/ usage for 57-64/ 66 GHz (V-band) and 71-76 GHz/ 81-86 GHz (E-band) and accordingly methodology of assignment of spectrum and associated terms and conditions. Other facets included spectrum charges and related terms and conditions such as spectrum cap, carrier aggregation for assignment of spectrum in the six bands for backhaul purposes of commercial telecom services. A typical public telecommunication network consists of the access network; core network; and backhaul links. The access network is the last mile connectivity to consumer devices, while core network connects the access network to global public networks. The backhaul links are used to connect the access network with the core network. In all, TRAI has put over 50 questions to stakeholders for views. These include level of demand of the spectrum in these traditional backhaul bands; the commercial services for which these bands should be assigned; and the method for such assignment. Other queries raised include the associated terms and conditions, validity period of assignment, and rollout obligations. "As the 7125-8400 MHz range in the 7 GHz band and the 14.8-15.35 GHz range in the 15 GHz band are being considered for IMT in WRC27, whether there is a need to review the usage of 7 GHz and 15 GHz microwave backhaul bands at this stage itself, or should the review be undertaken after considering the outcome of WRC-27," TRAI asked.
India Gazette
28-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
TRAI seeks stakeholders' input on microwave spectrum assignment for telecom services
New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday released a Consultation Paper focusing on the assignment of microwave spectrum across several key frequency bands for commercial telecom services. These bands include the 6 GHz (lower), 7 GHz, 13 GHz, 15 GHz, 18 GHz, and 21 GHz bands, as well as the E-Band and consultation paper of TRAI aims to gather the perspectives of stakeholders on various aspects related to the assignment of these microwave spectrum bands. The areas of focus include methodologies for assignment, associated terms and conditions, the quantum of spectrum to be earmarked for backhaul purposes (both commercial and non-commercial/captive use), and the feasibility of allowing low-power indoor consumer device-to-consumer device usage in the V-band on a license-exempt were also asked for comments on Spectrum charges and related terms and conditions, such as spectrum cap, carrier aggregation, etc., for the assignment of spectrum in the above-mentioned bands for backhaul purposes of commercial telecom services. The telecom regulator has also sought any other recommendations deemed fit for the purposes mentioned above using the mentioned bands for commercial telecom has invited written comments on the issues raised in the consultation paper by June 25, 2024, and counter-comments by July 9, 2024. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their feedback electronically to advmn@ follows a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) made on August 12, 2022, which asked TRAI to provide recommendations for the assignment of spectrum in the E&V Bands and for Microwave Access (MWA) and Microwave Backbone (MWB) spectrum within the 6/7/13/15/18/21 GHz frequency with the enactment of the Telecommunication Act, 2023 in December 2023, TRAI has revisited the matter. In a letter to DoT dated February 20, 2024, TRAI acknowledged the new legislation concerning radio backhaul for telecommunication services. (ANI)
