NEW TELECOM LAW COMES INTO EFFECT: KEY CHANGES IN LICENSING, SIM LIMITS, AND MORE

The Telecommunication Act 2023 came into effect on June 26. The new law repeals existing legislative frameworks like Indian Telegraph Act,1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraph Act, 1933. The new telecom law addresses technological advancements in the telecommunications industry. The law abolishes the licence regime, and replaces it with an authorisation mechanism.

Highlights of the new telecom law

The new telecom law allows the government to take control of any telecommunications services or networks in times of emergency. As per the gazette notification, the government may take control of the telecom services on the grounds of security, public order, or prevention of offences.

Messages sent by journalists with state and Central accreditation for news purposes will remain exempt from surveillance. In case the news reports are seen as potential threats to national security, the calls and messages of accredited journalists may be monitored and blocked.

The law also provides a legal framework for Regulatory Sandbox to facilitate innovation, and deployment of new technology.

Another big change coming with the new telecom law is that it allows people to have a maximum of nine cards registered in their names. For those living in Jammu & Kashmir and northeastern states, the law allows only up to six SIM cards per person. As per DoT regulations too, 9 SIM cards are currently allowed per ID with Aadhaar verification.

Owning SIM cards beyond the stated number faces a fine of Rs 50,000 for first-time offenders and Rs 2 lakh for frequent violators. The law further provides a penalty of up to Rs 50 lakh and three years imprisonment for obtaining a SIM card through deceptive methods.

Penalty of up to Rs 2 lakh for commercial messages sent without customer’s consent

The Telecommunications Act 2023 introduces a provision for up to Rs 2 lakh penalty for operators sending commercial messages sent without the user's consent.

The law allows government to grant permission to telecom companies to install mobile towers or lay telecom cables on private properties, if necessary.

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