“The DoT-funded Indigenous 5G Test Bed Project has reached its final phase; It should be completed by December 31, 2021, ”said the department in its year-end report.

The department has also formed the 6G Technology Innovation Group (TIG) to prepare India’s manufacturing and service ecosystem to capitalize on 6G opportunities, he added.

The Center approved the proposal to proliferate broadband over public Wi-Fi networks as part of the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI).

“With public Wi-Fi broadband, the user experience and quality of service for broadband is expected to be significantly improved. This service will be particularly useful in rural areas where public Wi-Fi access points are also created under BharatNet. Proliferation of public Wi-Fi Hot spots will lead to increased employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs and provide them with an additional source of income, ”the department said.

Under BharatNet, over 17,000 gram panchayats were put into service in 2021, while nearly 1.8 lakh gram panchayats were connected by laying 5,52,514 km of fiber optic cable (OFC) until November 1, 2021.

Between 2014 and 2021, rural tele-density increased from 44% to 59% in September, while broadband connections increased from 6.1 crore to 79 crore in June. Internet connections increased from 25.15 crore to 83.37 crore in June, average revenue achievement per subscriber per GB of wireless data was reduced to ??9.8 in June against ??268.97 in December 2014, which resulted in a huge increase – by 22605% – in the average monthly data consumption per wireless data subscriber, which rose to 14 GB in June from 61.66 MB in 2014.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecommunications sector grew 150% over the same period, from ??62,386 crores in 2014 to ??1,55,353 crores.

The government has approved a massive package of reforms for the sector, including opening up to 100% foreign direct investment under the automatic lane, in addition to making rule changes to alleviate liquidity issues. facing the besieged sector.

Challenges such as liquidity, streamlining of levies, Adjusted Gross Revenues (AGR) and spectrum pricing have also been addressed, with the government excluding non-telecom revenues on a prospective basis from the definition of AGR. Bank guarantees against license fees and other similar levies have been reduced by 80% and no requirement for multiple bank guarantees in different licensed service area (LSA) regions of the country has been decided.

As of October 1, 2021, deferred payments of license fees and spectrum usage fees will result in SBI’s MCLR interest rate plus 2% instead of MCLR plus 4%; interest compounded annually instead of monthly; penalty and penalty interest removed, the ministry said.

The government has also set the timetable for future auctions which will take place at the end of each fiscal year, and the spectrum term has been increased from 20 to 30 years without spectrum fees.

“Moratorium / Deferment of up to four years in annual dues payments arising from the AGR judgment, however with protection of the net present value (NPV) of amounts owed,” the department said.