Broadband
Restoring Net freedom: FCC seeks public participation
MUMBAI: With the opening of a new proceeding on Restoring Internet Freedom, the Commission (FCC) anticipates significant public engagement and a high volume of filings. The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau provides this guidance to facilitate public participation and to make commenting easy:
“Those who wish to file individual comments may submit them electronically via the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. However, we anticipate that some may wish to submit a large number of comments from multiple individuals, each with the same or similar content. We strongly encourage parties who seek to file a large number of comments or “group” comments to do so through the public API or the Commission’s electronic inbox established for this proceeding, called Restoring Internet Freedom Commentsat https://www.fcc.gov/restoring-internet-freedom-comments. We also ask parties who anticipate submitting group comments to contact us in advance so that we can assist with a smooth filing process. You can reach us at ECFSHelp@fcc.gov and (202) 418-0193.
We expect that filing group comments through the inbox will be simpler than filing through ECFS. We ask commenters to be patient, as there may be some lag time between when filings are made and when they appear in ECFS. We assure all timely filers, though, that their submissions will be part of the record in this proceeding.
By using the public API or inbox and contacting us in advance of large filings, parties can help us ensure that ECFS functions normally during periods of high volume submissions. Based on past experience, we anticipate that during some periods of the comment cycle, ECFS may experience much higher volumes of traffic, and that some of this traffic may be malicious in nature. Our commercial cloud service is limited in the amount of input it can receive at any one time. Thus, if group filers do not wish to use the inbox above for group filings, we recommend that they use the ECFS function for a single file to be uploaded with the ability to note the number of individuals represented by the filing. This will minimize the possibility that the system will be overwhelmed and unable to take other filings.
We will continue to monitor ECFS and take steps to minimize any impacts on parties attempting to file and view comments. We appreciate the public’s help, as we want to ensure that all voices are heard in this proceeding.
We remind the public that the Commission’s ex parte rules apply and that presentations (including comments, filings, and other submissions) are subject to “permit-but-disclose” ex parte rules. See, e.g., 47 CFR §§ 1.1206, 1.1200(a). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves and comply with the Commission’s ex parte rules, including the general prohibition on presentations (written and oral) on matters that are listed on the Commission’s Sunshine Agenda, which is typically released a week prior to a Commission meeting. See 47 CFR §§ 1.1200(a), 1.1203.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice) or 202-418-0432 (TTY).”
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.
