Regulators
Cabinet approves winding up of 37-year-old Digital Communications Commission: Reports
Move comes days after DCC cleared key TRAI recommendations on satellite spectrum allocation
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to wind up the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), according to media reports, bringing a 37-year-old telecom policymaking body closer to dissolution.
The development comes days after the DCC approved most of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recommendations on spectrum allocation for satellite communication services. The commission had cleared the recommendations at its 3 September meeting, including a 5 per cent spectrum usage charge linked to adjusted gross revenue and administrative assignment of spectrum for five years, with provisions for extension.
The decision cleared a key regulatory hurdle for satellite broadband operators including Elon Musk-led Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Industries’ Jio Satellite Communications. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was expected to take the framework forward for final government approval, with operators still requiring security and other regulatory clearances before commercial rollout.
The proposed dissolution had been under consideration for some time. In August, the DoT had begun the process of seeking Cabinet approval to disband the DCC, citing changes in its structure and decision-making processes. Reports had also pointed to vacancies in key DCC positions and a shift in telecom budget approval processes.
Originally constituted as the Telecom Commission in 1989, the body was renamed the Digital Communications Commission in 2018 under the National Digital Communications Policy. The policy formally redesignated the Telecom Commission as the DCC.
The DCC has functioned as the apex decision-making body within the DoT, with the telecom secretary as chairman and members handling areas including finance, services, technology and production, along with part-time representatives from other government departments.
The government is yet to clarify the detailed mechanism and timeline for the dissolution, including how the commission’s existing functions and decision-making responsibilities will be redistributed within the DoT.
The timing of the move is significant for the telecom sector as India works towards the commercial rollout of satellite broadband services, with spectrum allocation, pricing and security clearances forming key steps before operators can begin offering services.
