more-inThe government’s plan to attract $100 billion (about ₹6.5 lakh crore) investment in the telecom sector by 2022 is conservative, industry body COAI has said. Just two telecom operators, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, have committed to invest ₹74,000 crore this year alone, which is more than 10% of the total government estimate, COAI director general Rajan S Mathews said. “Telecom operators are investing $10 billion. The government draft of the new telecom policy — ‘National Digital Communications Policy 2018’ — aims to create 40 lakh jobs by 2022, attract $100 billion investment in the sector and ensure broadband coverage at 50 mbps for every citizen. Addressing debtIt also proposes to address the woes of debt-ridden telecom sector by reviewing licence fees, spectrum usage charges, universal service obligation fund levy — all of which add to cost of telecom services.

Source: The Hindu May 06, 2018 15:18 UTC