Government To Implement New Telecommunications Act

A government notice on Friday stated that as of June 26, rules under specific provisions of the Telecommunications Act 2023 will take effect.

The Telecommunications Act 2023 replaces the current and archaic regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector, which is based on the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950.

“The Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 26th Day of June 2024, as the date on which the provisions of sections 1, 2, 10 to 30, 42 to 44, 46, 47, 50 to 58, 61 and 62 of the said Act shall come into force”, the statement reads.

The rule, which goes into effect on June 26, allows the government to take over the administration and management of any or all telecommunications services or networks in the interests of national security, friendly relations with foreign states, or in the event of war.

With these new criteria in place, the universal service requirement fund will be renamed Digital Bharat Nidhi, and it will be able to fund research and development, as well as pilot projects, rather than only assisting the construction of rural telecom services.

The new laws include a mandate to safeguard users from spam and harmful messages.

The adoption of these sections sets the way for the enforcement of non-discriminatory and non-exclusive grants of right of way for telecom network roll-out and gives the central government the authority to build common ducts and cable corridors.

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