The telecom industry, which facilitated wide-spread digital adoption during the pandemic, continues to be financially stressed and seeks government support on issues like liquidity, rationalisation of levies, AGR and spectrum pricing, according to COAI. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in its outlook for 2021, said 5G launch is expected in the later part of the year. The technology is poised to open up a plethora of possibilities in the context of business models, better education, healthcare, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and intelligent logistics, S P Kochhar, Director General of COAI said in a statement. However, industry continues to be financially stressed and we seek the support of the government in enabling the industry to truly play its role as an enabler of horizontal growth and a boost to the nation s economy, Kochhar said.
COAI says telecom industry financially stressed; seeks govt support on key challenges
SECTIONS
Last Updated: Dec 28, 2020, 04:05 PM IST
Share
Synopsis
Listing out the top challenges faced by its member telecom companies, COAI said these relate to liquidity, rationalisation of the regulatory levies, Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) issues, spectrum pricing, Right of Way (RoW) rules, and cell tower radiation.
Like any other sector, the telecom industry too was impacted by the pandemic with a sharp fall in the number of subscribers in March and April. However, as business and individuals adopted digital ways, telecom industry emerged as a saviour .
NEW DELHI: The telecom industry, which facilitated wide-spread digital adoption during the pandemic, continues to be financially stressed and seeks government support on issues like liquidity, rationalisation of levies, AGR and spectrum pricing, according to COAI.
2021 to ring in spectrum auctions, potential tariff hikes for telecom sector
2021 to ring in spectrum auctions, potential tariff hikes for telecom sector
NEW DELHI: Having narrowly escaped a financial collapse, the telecom sector is now headed for an auction of airwaves in the next quarter, which combined with telcos’ network investment compulsions and AGR liabilities could hasten tariff hikes in 2021.
The Indian telecom market, which once had nearly a dozen operators, has in recent years seen exit of some prominent names due to cut-throat competition and legal cases.
It may have been on its way to becoming a two-player market in 2020, but the Supreme Court agreed to give up to 10 years to telcos to clear Rs 1.47 lakh crore of past AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue) dues. The apex court’s decision this year gave a much-needed breather to struggling telecom companies that had been on a razor’s edge since October 2019 when the apex court upheld the government’s position on incl
Synopsis
The Indian telecom market, which once had nearly a dozen operators, has in recent years seen exit of some prominent names due to cut-throat competition and legal cases.
Agencies
The impending industry-wide tariff hike would improve financial metrics of companies and market watchers believe that 2021 could, well, turn out to be a year of significant industry repair.
New Delhi: Having narrowly escaped a financial collapse, the telecom sector is now headed for an auction of airwaves in the next quarter, which combined with telcos network investment compulsions and AGR liabilities could hasten tariff hikes in 2021. The Indian telecom market, which once had nearly a dozen operators, has in recent years seen exit of some prominent names due to cut-throat competition and legal cases.
Spectrum auction decision welcome; lower reserve prices would ve allowed more resources: COAI
SECTIONS
Last Updated: Dec 17, 2020, 09:50 AM IST
Share
Synopsis We welcome the government s decision to auction spectrum by March 2021. This will enable the industry to cater to the exponential increase data usage and continue supporting the Digital India vision, COAI Director General SP Kochhar said.
Cabinet approves next round of spectrum auction
New Delhi: Industry body COAI on Wednesday welcomed the government s decision to auction spectrum by March 2021 but said lower reserve prices would have freed-up additional resources for network expansion by telcos. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) - whose members include Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and