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National Importance, Polity & Governance
Pradeep Kumar

11/03/21 10:21 AM IST

Telecom licensing conditions amended

In news

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT)  amended licensing conditions for telecom companies by including defence and national security as parameters in purchase of telecom equipment for trusted sources.

Reasons
  • Of the three telcos, almost 30 per cent of Bharti Airtel’s existing network comprises Chinese telecom equipment, it is as much as 40 per cent for Vodafone Idea.
  • State-run telcos Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) too have equipment from Chinese vendors, including Huawei and ZTE, in their 3G and older networks.
Highlights
  • The move could potentially make it more difficult for Chinese telecom equipment vendors like Huawei and ZTE to supply equipment to Indian telecom players in the future.
  • The new norms also mean that the three telecom companies will not be able to use equipment from non-trusted sources for the setting up or expanding of network to utilise the 4G spectrum that they bought in the recently concluded spectrum auctions.
  • As per the notification, starting June 15, telcos can use telecom products only from trusted sources in its network and must take permission from the designated authority if they plan to upgrade their existing network using telecom equipment that has not been designated as trusted product.
  • Both Huawei and ZTE have been under global scrutiny for allegedly installing ‘backdoor’ or ‘trap door’ vulnerabilities and spying for the Chinese government and have been banned by several countries.
Source: Indian Express

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