The Hindu Business Line : PM urges closer cooperation between telecom operators, security agencies

3G call: The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, launching the 3G or third generation services of MTNL, with the Communications & IT Minister, Mr A. Raja, at the inaugural session of the ‘India Telecom 2008: Connecting Rural India’ in the Capital on Thursday.

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Dec. 11 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Thursday said that the Government was working on a number of policy initiatives for taking the telecom sector to the next level of growth.

This includes introduction of mobile number portability which will allow subscribers to change their operator without having to give up their telephone number.

Addressing the inaugural session of India Telecom Summit 2008, Dr Singh said, “I believe that the key to the growth of the telecom sector has been competition. There has been continuity in competition and investment friendly policies. The Government is working on many more initiatives to further improve the telecom sector. Mobile Number Portability is around the corner, which will enable subscribers to change their operators while retaining their number. This will not only give more choice to customers but also lead operators to further improve their services to retain their customers. The possibility of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) is also being considered.”

The Prime Minister also launched India’s first third generation (3G) mobile services by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. “I believe that 3G and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) will give a fillip to mobile broadband penetration. So far, India’s success in extending broadband has not been very satisfactory. These services were launched in January 2005 and till now we have managed a very modest penetration. I expect that hereafter 3G will become the predominant platform on which we will be able to build and deliver upon India’s broadband objectives,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that at the current rate of growth, the total telecom subscriber base is expected to reach 700 million by 2012, with about 650 million mobile users and 50 million landlines.

Dr Singh raised the issue of terrorists increasingly using high end communication technology and urged the industry for better cooperation with the security agencies.

“As I have been briefed about the havoc in Mumbai, I also discovered that modern technology and also the way powerful instruments in the hands of anti-social elements like terrorists, and how they could make use of this advanced technology like internet etc. So it is very important that there should be effective cooperation and coordination between the agencies whose responsibility it is to safeguard security efforts and the producers and all those who are in the industry.”

The Communications and IT Minister, Mr A. Raja, said that spectrum needs of all operators, new and old, will be met soon.