About Digital Communication Commission – It’s Origin, Significance And Function

Telecom infrastructure is viewed as a key component in achieving India's socio-economic goals since telecom services are widely recognized as a significant tool for the socio-economic development of a country. In light of this, the Department of Telecom has been developing policies for the rapid expansion of communications services. Additionally, the Department is in charge of issuing licenses for a number of telecom services, including Unified Access Service Internet and VSAT service. In close collaboration with the international bodies, the Department is also in charge of managing radio frequency usage. By observing wireless communication from all users across the nation, it also enforces wireless regulatory requirements. 

 

•    The Telecom Commission was established by the Government of India in accordance with the Resolution dated April 11, 1989 and it is responsible for handling various facets of telecommunications. The "Telecom Commission" has been renamed the "Digital Communications Commission" by the government in a resolution dated October 22nd, 2018.

 

•    A chairman, four full-time members who serve as ex-officio secretaries to the government of India's department of telecommunications, and four part-time members who serve as secretaries to the government of India's relevant departments make up the Digital Communications Commission. 

 

•    The ex-officio Chairman of the Digital Communications Commission is the Secretary to the Government of India's Department of Telecommunications. 

 

•    The Digital Communications Commission's full-time members are Member (Finance), Member (Production), Member (Services), and Member (Technology). The Chief Executive Officer of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog, Secretary of Economic Affairs, Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology, and Secretary make up the Digital Communications Commission's part-time members (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion). 

 

•    According to a resolution of the Indian government dated March 15th, 2016, the Chief Executive Officer of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has been proposed as a (part-time) Member of the Digital Communications Commission.

 

•    Creating the Department of Telecommunications' policy for government approval

 

•    Preparing and obtaining government approval for the Department of Telecommunications' budget for each fiscal year 

 

•    Implementing government policies in all telecommunications-related areas

 

•    In an upcoming auction, the Digital Communications Commission chooses to provide spectrum for 20 years.

 

•    At its meeting on Tuesday, the DCC agreed the reserve price as recommended by Trai in addition to the tenure. The ideas will now be sent by the DoT to the Cabinet, which will convene on Wednesday. If any further reserve price decrease is necessary or not, the Cabinet may decide. The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) on Tuesday accepted this option on the recommendation of an internal committee that was constituted by it. 

 

•    This means that telecom operators will receive spectrum for 20 years in the future 5G auction. The development is significant because the government stated in September of last year that spectrum will now be awarded after auctions for a 30-year term.

 

•    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), in its referral back, had left it up to the government to choose whether to lease the spectrum for 20 or 30 years before receiving the DCC's consent. A DoT standing committee recommended giving telecom companies the option to purchase spectrum for 20 years because purchasing the airwaves for 30 years was proving to be pricey. The reserve price for a 30-year period should be 1.5 times that for a 20-year period, according to the Trai's recommendation. At its meeting on Tuesday, the DCC agreed the reserve price as recommended by Trai in addition to the tenure. The ideas will now be sent by the DoT to the Cabinet, which will convene on Wednesday. 

 

•    If any further reserve price decrease is necessary or not, the Cabinet may decide. According to sources, during the recent meeting of DCC, Niti Aayog has emphasized that price for 5G spectrum should not be seen from the perspective of revenue maximization but from the option of public good like its utility in healthcare, education etc. However, DCC considered the 36% price reduction made by Trai to be sufficient considering that the spectrum will be made available for 20 years.

 

•    Despite operators' complaints that it was too high, the commission and Trai agreed on the reserve price. The telecom operators believed that despite the reserve price reduction, prices were still on the high side and had wanted a 90–95 percent reduction. To put things in context, operators can purchase 100 MHz for Rs 31,700 crore as opposed to the 2018 price of Rs 49,200 crore for 20 years, thanks to a 36% decrease in the reserve price of 5G spectrum in the 3,300-3,670 MHz band at Rs 317 per Mhz.

 

•    The DoT will start working on the notice inviting application (NIA) as soon as the Cabinet gives its approval, and it will be released by May 25. This document is essential since it outlines all the official rules governing the auction process. It typically takes 54 days after the NIA is completed and released for the auction to start.

 

•    The government anticipates strong company involvement, according to communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who stated on Tuesday that the auction is proceeding as planned. Due to the small number of competing operators and the likelihood that the majority of the spectrum will be purchased at the reserve price, the auction is predicted to be over in a few days.

 

•    DoT will attempt to assign frequencies to the telecom operators as soon as possible after the auction procedure is complete to enable a prompt commercial rollout. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has requested that the DoT launch commercial 5G services on August 15 of this year.