The primary guidelines of the brand new Telecom Act 2023 at the moment are in impact in India. The Division of Telecommunications (DoT) shared the event in a publish on social media platform X. DoT stated that the primary guidelines of the Telecom Act 2023, ‘Digital Bharat Nidhi’ is now in impact on September 1, 2024. The factor to notice right here is that Digital Bharat Nidhi is nothing however the rebranded USOF (Common Service Obligation Fund). Beneath the USOF, funds are collected by the central authorities in order that they can be utilized to advertise digital connectivity all through India.
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The telecom operators within the nation pay for this fund. The 8% license price that the telcos pay features a 5% USOF contribution and three% in direction of the precise license price contribution. The telcos have again and again requested the federal government to pause the gathering of USOF in order that their quarterly and yearly outgo of money will get reduction. In keeping with the telcos, until the time the funds within the USOF are utilised, its assortment may be paused in order that the cash-strapped telcos can see higher returns within the brief time period.
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Nevertheless, the federal government does not need to try this as of now. The brand new guidelines from the Telecom Act 2023 have outlined the roles and tasks of the Digital Bharat Nidhi administrator. The admin will oversee the fund’s implementation within the right method. The important thing goal of the DBN stays the identical as that of the USOF – to advertise indigenous tech growth and encourage telecom start-ups. DBN may even be used to fund the rollout of networks in backward areas to eradicate the digital divide within the nation.
Telecom gamers like BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Restricted) have already utilised USOF prior to now to supply community connectivity in rural or distant areas of the nation.
