Communication channels between the telecom regulators of India and the US would be active over the next few months as India prepares for a broadband policy.
The visiting chief of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Julius Genachowski and the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) JS Sarma told a Ficci conference on Friday that they have already initiated a dialogue on the broadband roadmap.
FCC, which recently announced a national broadband plan for the US, has said that it would soon initiate a process intended to regulate broadband. Trai, which is expected to come out with a consultation paper on a broadband policy for India within a week, would issue recommendation on the subject in the next few months, Sarma said. India is seeking FCC views before coming out with its recommendations on the broadband policy.
Replying to a question on how Trai should approach broadband regulation, Genachowskisaid that a light touch approach would be sensible.
While broadband access is very limited in India at around 9 million, against mobile telephony subscriber base of over 600 million, United States is also facing broadband deficit.
Around 10 per cent of the US population lives in areas without any broadband infrastructure, pointed out the FCC chairman. Even in places in the US with full broadband access, broadband adoption is only 65%, he added. “We would like itto go up to 100%,”
Genachowskisaid.
According to the FCC chairman, non-adoption of broadband in the US was mainly due to the affordability factor, both for equipment and connection. Lack of knowledge of broadband and digital content was yet another reason for non-adoption, he pointed out.
The FCC chief has maintained that high speed internet was vital to America’s growth. The same is true for India, ministers and bureaucrats have reiterated.
National broadband is a priority for the Obama administration. This would help in creating jobs, increasing investment, and improving access to education and health care. India too has a similar agenda.
India is, at this point, holding spectrum auction for offering broadband wireless access (BWA) service. Once BWA service is rolled out, broadband in India is expected to get a boost. Recently, India completed the 3G auction process that would fetch the government around Rs 67,000 crore.
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