DoT will present the draft of the National Telecom Policy

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will present the draft of the National Telecom Policy (NTP), 2018, before the cabinet in April 2018. Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently released its recommendations on the policy and suggested a deadline of 2019 for the simplification of licensing and regulatory frameworks. The regulator also supported the industry demand for rationalisation of taxes and levies in the sector and proposed that a review be undertaken on telecom licence fees, spectrum usage charges, and the Universal Service Obligation Fund levy to improve the ease of doing business.