Soon
roaming charges will be a thing of the past and nationwide number portability being the order of the day. Besides,
broadband speed will go up more than nine times in four years and consumers may get a voice on quality of services in case of disputes with operators.
There is also a move to cut costs for
value-added services, such as text messages, as the government and the regulator prepare an "appropriate regulatory framework for delivery of VAS at affordable prices". Over the years, call charges have dropped from over Rs 30 a minute to around 60 paise now but mobile users have not benefited from competition when it comes to SMS.
While improving the overall quality of service is a key feature of the draft National Telecom Policy 2011, another focus is to shift towards greater convergence between telecom, IT, broadcast and electronics to upgrade the quality of life and make it an instrument of empowerment.
"The primary objective of the
National Telecom Policy-2011 is maximizing public good by making available affordable, reliable and secure telecommunication and broadband services across the country," communications minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the document.
Also, the mobile will become a device of empowerment and can double up as an identity proof, the draft says. The policy is moving from e-governance to m-governance as mobile telephony is now cheaper resulting in more people having access to phones.
