Government To Enforce New Telecommunications Act Starting June 26
The new rules add a mandate of protecting users from spam and malicious communications.
Certain provisions of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, are set to come into effect from June 26, according to a government notification released on Friday.
This act replaces the outdated regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector, which was previously based on the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933,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 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 rollout and provides power to the central government to establish common ducts and cable corridors.
(With inputs with PTI)
