NEW DELHI, India-The Indian government’s plan to set up a “super regulator” along the lines of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) got a boost, with the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Information Technology giving its approval to the “Communications Convergence Bill, 2001,” which includes setting up of the Convergence Commission of India (CCI).
However, the panel has expressed certain reservations on the powers and structure of the proposed regulator for the entire gamut of telecom, information technology and broadcasting services. In its report tabled in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) on Wednesday, the panel cautioned that the CCI may restrict freedom of information for consumers and freedom of action for service providers if its powers are not used properly.
“It will have far-reaching jurisdiction over virtually every field of communication, including telecom, broadcasting, television, cable, wireless telephony, etc. It will be one of the most powerful authorities established in the country so far. Due to its vast powers and establishment, its overrearching powers can be misused through a tangle of rules, regulations, licenses and registration requirements,” stated the report.
The panel has called for fixing a timeframe to expedite licensing frequency allocation, interconnection between networks and services that will enable speedy delivery of competitive services to consumers.
The bill also envisages creation of a Communication Appellate Tribunal (CAT) to replace the existing mechanism of Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). It has suggested a timeframe of 60 days for settling disputes.
Now it is up to the government to modify the bill as suggested and present the new draft to the parliament.
