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More investment in telecom networks is the need of the hour and digital inclusion should be given the highest priority, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman PD Vaghela said while speaking at the Mobile World Conference Barcelona 2022.
To bolster investment, Vaghela said that focus both on demand and supply side is required. “Investment-friendly regulations and policies can attract more investment in the network and infrastructure. On the demand side, we should focus on identification, development and deployment of specific use cases in various industry verticals,” said Vaghela.
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Start-up ecosystem
On demand side, Vaghela said the TRAI has initiated dialogue with vertical Ministries to create vertical specific start-up ecosystem for use cases.
“Cross-sector collaboration and multi-disciplinary approach is essential for dynamic and agile regulation for disruptive but exciting telecom technologies. TRAI has initiated many new consultations to meet these new challenges,” Vaghela said.
“Draft Data Protection Bill is under discussion and soon India will have an independent data protection law,” Vaghela announced at the conference. Earlier today, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had said the government is working towards getting the approval of the Parliament on the Data Protection Bill latest by the Monsoon Session.
Digital economy
Regarding the key learning that the Indian regulator learnt from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Vaghela said, “Digital inclusion needs to be the highest priority especially for women and marginalised. Small enterprises and informal economy who were impacted the most. For them, digital economy can be a boon. But they require handholding in the form of affordable connectivity, applications and use cases especially in light of 5G-based Industry 4.0 technologies.”
“Digital penetration has also raised issues of data protection, privacy and cyber security,” said Vaghela.
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