India's Telecom Reform - Indian Institute of Public Administration

India’s Telecom Reform: A Chronological Account
2001, November 23: TRAI Issues consultation paper on
Introduction of Internet Telephony.
2001, December 21: Bharti Telesonic, India’s first private
national long distance operator announces a steep decline
in the price of mobile-to-mobile long distance calls.
2001, December 22: Ministry of Information Technology
and Ministry of Communications merge to create
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting left out.
2001, December 28: BSNL responds to the STD tariff
cut announced by IndiaOne (Bharti Telesonic) and announces
an even sharper cut of up to 62.5 percent in STD tariffs.
2002: Internet subscriptions cross one million.
2002, January 5: Minister of Communications approves
National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) for optimal
utilisation of frequency spectrum.
2002, February: Tata acquires management control of
VSNL after the government sells the major part of its
stake in VSNL.
2002, February 20: TRAI submits recommendations on
introduction of Internet Telephony (IT).
2002, March 15: TDSAT rules that the introduction of
WLL (M) services is a policy decision of the government
and consequently not subject to review by the Tribunal. It
dismisses COAI petition seeking to prohibit fixed service
providers from offering any type of mobile services.
2002, March 21: ISPs allowed to provide the service on
payment of additional license fees. However, incoming IP
calls may not be terminated on the phone network.
2002, March 27: DoT issues guidelines on Universal Service
Obligation (USO). Announces the creation of Universal Service
Obligation Fund (USOF) starting April 1, 2002.
2002, April 1: Opening of International Long Distance
service to competition; VSNL monopoly ends.
2002, April 5: TRAI issues consultation paper on Reference
Interconnect Offer (RIO).
2002, April 11: COAI challenges TDSAT judgment on
WLL (M) in the Supreme Court.
2002, April 18: DoT issues notification for spectrum usage
charges for microwave access and backbone.
2002, July 19: Bharti launches International long distance
service.
2002, October 7: BSNL appeals to TDSAT against TRAI’s
plan to forbear cellular tariffs.
2002, October 19: BSNL launches countrywide cellular
mobile services.
2002 December: Mobile phones cross 10 million.
2002, December 17: Supreme Court sets aside the TDSAT
judgement on WLL (M) and remits the matter to the Tribunal
for reconsideration, with special emphasis on the
question of a level playing field. The Supreme Court says
TDSAT had not exercised its full jurisdiction.
2002, December 28: Reliance lnfocomm launches WLL
(M) services.
2003: Internet subscribers cross three million.
2003, January 7: BSNL slashes STD rates for over 500
kilometres.
2003, February 10: COAI approaches TDSAT objecting
to the provision of WLL (M) services outside the SDCA
by Tata Teleservices and the advertisement of roaming
facilities by Reliance Infocomm.
2003, February 21: TRAI’s recommendations on the issue
of fresh licenses to cellular mobile service providers
(CMSPs) says more players are feasible only if additional
spectrum is available.
2003, February 24: Cellular operators approach TDSAT
against TRAI to protest what they regard are iniquitous
tariffs, in comparison to those for limited mobility.
2003, April 8: TDSAT rejects the government’s claim on
privilege of disclosing official documents relating to introduction
of WLL (M) services.
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