Government to partially implement new Telecommunications Act from June 26

Telecommunications Act: Rules under certain sections of the Telecommunications Act 2023 will become effective from June 26, a government notification said. The Telecommunications Act 2023 supersedes the existing and archaic regulatory framework for the telecommunication sector, based on the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act (1933), and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act (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 notification said.

The rule that will be effective from June 26 will allow the government to take over the control and management of any or all of any telecommunication services or network, in the interest of national security, friendly relations with foreign states, or in the event of war.

With these new rules in place, the universal service obligation fund will become Digital Bharat Nidhi, which can be used for funding research and development, and pilot projects instead of just supporting the establishment of telecom services in rural areas.

The new rules add a mandate of protecting users from spam and malicious communications.

The implementation of these sections paves the way for the enforcement of non-discriminatory and non-exclusive grants of right of way for telecom network roll-out and provides power to the central government to establish common ducts and cable corridors.