Put India's telecomsector in tune with global trends

Tag : Internet Phone Call
The ruling has created a row in India because while ISPs get a newsource of income for free, fixed line and mobile players areobjecting that they paid high market entry fees.

Under the proposed plan people could call from their personalcomputers with Internet connections to a landline or a mobilephone. It is expected that the cost of calling in India will falleven further. It is already one of the cheapest places in theworld.

The regulator said that the big idea was to put India's telecomsector in tune with global trends. It also thinks it should improvebroadband penetration.

The Cellular Operators Association of India chief TV Ramachandrantold AP that the regulator's proposal was not fair to existingtelephone companies. They had to stump up millions of rupees to geta license, while ISPs didn't, he pointed out.

Other telcos have warned that the move will threaten theirbusiness.

But 'those in the know' point out that it will take years beforebroadband subscribers pose a threat to fixed-line and mobilelicence holders. There are only 4.38 million broadband subscribersin India in comparison to 287 million mobile users and 38.9 millionland line subscribers.
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