Broadband
B’band deployment & investment barriers: FCC to develop state and civic govt codes
MUMBAI: United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Varadaraj Pai has delivered his ideas at the first meeting of the commission’s broadband deployment advisory committee.
“Last September, at a startup accelerator in Cincinnati, I outlined my Digital Empowerment Agenda, a non-partisan blueprint for communications policy. At the core of this agenda was my conviction that every American who wants high-speed Internet access should be able to get it. I suggested several concrete proposals for achieving that goal—for promoting broadband deployment across the country and closing the digital divide. One proposal was for the FCC to create a Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee — a panel of experts that could advise us on these issues. How marvelous it is to see this idea put into practice starting this morning! And it is quite fitting that this first meeting is taking place during Infrastructure Month here at the Commission.”
“Deploying broadband is hard, expensive, and time-consuming work, whether you’re trenching fiber, attaching equipment to poles, or setting up a gateway earth station. Red tape shouldn’t make those tasks even harder. To me, it’s pretty simple: With rules that make it easier to deploy broadband, we will see more broadband deployed. And in turn, we can empower millions of Americans with digital opportunity,” Pai said.
“Now, when we issued a call for nominations to serve on the BDAC back in January, I was expecting a few dozen applications. I couldn’t be more thrilled at how wrong my prediction was. Over 380 individuals applied. There were nominees from organisations large and small, representing industry, government, and consumer and community organizations. From this diverse and highly impressive pool of applicants we invited 29 to serve on this new committee.”
“You are innovators and leaders in the effort to bring broadband and next-generation networks to all parts of our nation. Your work connects rural and urban areas alike, links people across land, air, and sea, and turns today’s dreams into tomorrow’s realities.”
“As members of the BDAC, your mission is to give the FCC recommendations on ways to spur broadband deployment and reduce barriers to investment. One important part of this work, which I previewed last fall, is to develop model codes for state and municipal governments that want to encourage deployment and competitive entry in their jurisdictions.”
“In fact, the BDAC is being asked to develop two model codes — one for municipalities and another for states. In developing each, the goal should be guidelines that are forward-looking and fair, and that balance legitimate interests of state and local governments with the ever-growing demands of the American public for better, faster, and cheaper broadband. I look forward to seeing how you approach this challenge.”
“The BDAC will also be asked to make recommendations on how to promote competitive access to broadband infrastructure, including utility poles. New concepts, such as “one-touch make-ready” and “right-touch make-ready,” have great potential to streamline the pole attachment process. The BDAC could help identify solutions for easing access that preserve public safety and advance the interests of pole owners and (would-be) users.”
“Another key issue is speeding up broadband deployment on Federal lands. Right now, it takes about twice as long to site infrastructure on Federal lands as it does on privately held land. Shortening that timeline could help prove the business case for deployment in areas where it might not otherwise exist. Here, BDAC recommendations could have a major impact on closing the digital divide, especially for rural and Tribal residents who live on or near Federal lands.”
“The thicket of issues I’ve identified makes one thing clear: the BDAC has a lot of work ahead of it. But I’m certain that this distinguished group is more than up to the task. And in the coming weeks, I expect to appoint more qualified nominees to round out the working groups, lending further support to the cause.”
Also Read: TRAI & FCC sign LoI on accelerating broadband deployment & aligning spectrum policy
Broadband
Tejas Networks names Arnob Roy as MD and CEO, overhauls top leadership team
The Bengaluru-based telecom gear maker reshuffles its entire top team even as quarterly revenue collapses by 83 per cent
BENGALURU: Tejas Networks is changing the guard at the top, and doing so at speed. The Bengaluru-headquartered telecom equipment maker has elevated Arnob Roy as managing director and chief executive officer, effective April 15, 2026, for a term running through to August 3, 2028, and in the same breath announced new appointments across operations and finance. The timing is pointed: the company is navigating one of the roughest patches in its recent history.
Roy steps up from his role as executive director and chief operating officer, a position he has held since March 2019. He brings more than three decades of experience in the high-technology sector across research and development, operations, and sales. His predecessor, Anand Athreya, resigned last year citing personal reasons and was relieved on June 20, 2025, leaving a gap at the top that has now been formally filled.
The numbers Roy inherits are sobering. Tejas posted a net loss of Rs 211.3 crore in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, a near-194 per cent widening year on year from Rs 71.8 crore in the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter collapsed 82.6 per cent year on year to Rs 333 crore, down from Rs 1,907 crore. EBITDA swung to a loss of Rs 118.2 crore against a profit of Rs 121.5 crore a year ago. The culprit is not hard to identify: Tejas has derived the bulk of its revenue from BSNL’s fourth-generation network project, delivered as part of a Tata Consultancy Services-driven consortium, and that roll-out is now winding down.
Roy, speaking during a post-earnings conference call with analysts, was candid about where the company has been. “The BSNL 4G network went live across 100,000 sites. We deployed our largest indigenous router networks in the country through the BSNL MAN network, as well as in the BharatNet Phase 3 network,” he said, adding that Tejas had also successfully rolled out its 400G and 800G DWDM equipment in domestic and international markets, and continued the deployment of what it describes as the world’s largest satellite IoT network through its vehicle tracking system solution.
The pivot to new revenue streams is already under way. Tejas has partnered with Japan’s Rakuten Symphony and NEC Corporation to push deeper into international markets, with several Open Radio Access Network trials ongoing, one of which concluded recently. The company is also diversifying across equipment categories and geographies to sustain momentum as the BSNL chapter closes.
To prosecute that strategy, Roy needs a full team around him. Preetham Uthaiah has been appointed chief operating officer, moving up from his current role as vice president of product management for wireless products at Tejas Networks. Uthaiah brings nearly 30 years of global experience spanning engineering, product management, and business development across India and the United States. Before joining Tejas Networks, he served as executive vice president of product management, marketing, and strategy at Saankhya Labs, and held senior roles at Tech Mahindra on both sides of the Atlantic. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University and a degree in electronics and communications from Karnatak University.
On the finance front, AVS Prasad has been approved as chief financial officer, effective May 16, 2026, succeeding Sumit Dhingra, who has resigned. Prasad, currently serving as finance controller at Tejas Networks, brings over 27 years of experience within the Tata Group across telecom, aerostructures, and defence. A company secretary and cost and management accountant by training, he has spent more than 15 years in senior finance roles including CFO and financial controller positions, with expertise spanning corporate finance, treasury management, regulatory compliance, internal audit, and governance.
New chief executive, new chief operating officer, new chief financial officer — all installed in a single move, at a moment when the company’s largest revenue source is drying up and the next chapter remains unwritten. Tejas Networks has placed its bets. Now it has to deliver.
