Value of Telecom Towers

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) seems intent on undoing one its most spectacular successes.  Last year, it auctioned spectrum for two important wireless technologies viz 3G and BWA (Broadband Wireless Access), which can help deliver broadband services across India speedily and cheaply.  It was praised for conducting a remarkably transparent auction and for delivering a whopping Rs.105000 crores (over US$22 billion) to the government that expected a fraction of that amount.   However, DoT will squander this...

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), with reason,  is concerned that very little of the equipment deployed in the country’s telecom network or handsets used by consumers  is developed or manufactured locally.  Manufacturing would create jobs and cheaper local equipment could lower costs of expanding its sparse rural and broadband networks. Given their imminent role in priority sectors like education, health, banking, governance etc, it would be strategic for India to target a more pervasive role in...