Concept Note for Prime Minister on Knowledge Infrastructure September29, 2009 Objective Objective of this concept note is to facilitate $100b FDI in critical knowledge sector of economy within five years both directly and through joint ventures and introduction of latest technology in these sectors, provide level playing field for Indian and foreign investors and introduce competition against monopoly and cartels. Background Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in existence for 12 years has completely failed to effectively discharge its functions as regulator of Knowledge Services of Telecom, Broadband and Communication. Indian economy is globalizing fast, there is no reputed Indian company that has no foreign partners and many thousand foreign companies are operating in India independently but TRAI controlled broadcasters provide only BBC or CNN that too in Gold packages, when free channels of all important countries ought to be accessible to our 25 million SMEs and many times more professionals who can’t afford to visit foreign countries to understand their economy and politics before serving them. TELECOM Highlight of TRAI gross incompetence is Re-routing of International Calls by some mobile operators as local calls by installing Clandestine Telephone Exchanges that went on undetected until some whistle blower exposed the fraud and its security implications. Good percent of mobile connections are secured on forged documents; operators out source services who hire goons, most under declare sales while overcharging customers than advertised rates and to further enhance their revenue deliver two - three unwanted Commercial SMSs and Phone calls everyday besides paid Astrology and cricket score etc. Such revenue earnings are not even recorded by TRAI. INTERNET Internet Penetration at 13 million for 1.2b people is pathetic. Quality of service is very unreliable and actually for assurance many people and companies engage more than one source for internet service. Many connections remain dead for months. Thus actual penetration may not be even 10 million. BROADCASTING Broadcasting Service is virtually in the hands of Mafia, several hundred murders of cable operators across the country establishes this and in gross violation of Broadcast and Monopoly laws that mandated Free To Air channels be accessible to subscribers for Rs.74/- per month - the biggest Mafia of all charges Rs.145 per month in three packages for six channels or annual package of Rs.1350 which translates to Rs.125 per month. (Sports Bonanza Pack Tata Sky) There is huge advertising revenue generated but not accounted to TRAI or GOI by all channels. Packages and Bonanzas are offered of mostly useless filmy channels, and some of the films like Chupke Chupke is broadcast perhaps 500 times. But may hundred Free To Air Channels like DW, Asian, Korean News, etc are not accessible to subscribers even though Boxes have 1000 or 2000 channel capacity to make sure subscriber could access only limited number of channels that also carry advertisements for the system operators. There is gradual degradation of news services. Rape cases that deserve one or two minute coverage become Prime Show for most channels for several days. Similarly Jinnah book release issue became Prime Show of news channels for a fortnight. TRAI is grossly incompetent and corrupt organization that may be replaced by a new more empowered regulator. Concept Note 1 – National Multi System Operators 100% FDI may be allowed for foreign companies to operate Multi System Operations in India (Telephone, Broadband and Broadcasting) on condition that they will bring their own capital resources and technology and will not be charged license fee for five years. Objectives are – 1. Facilitate up to $50b investment in important knowledge infrastructure where Indian companies have failed to either provide desired penetration or failed to deliver desired quality of service. 2. This will ensure Indian operators will have adequate capital resources to compete with foreign competitors. 3. This will break the monopoly or Cartel of few Indian companies. Concept Note 2 – Introduction of Free Knowledge TV Channels All knowledge channels must be provided by all system operators as Free Channels, Indian and foreign News, Science and Technology Channels like Discovery and Sports Channels. Sports Broadcasters invariably deny Doordarshan feed of important sporting events and even go to court against Cabinet Decisions restricting the broadcast to select subscribers. Objectives are – 1. India has over 120 million homes with a TV set. GOI must be striving to provide Knowledge Channels to them free or at nominal cost. Any knowledge channel that also advertises for revenue shall make it free. Channels that don’t advertise and are pay knowledge channels – GOI may negotiate reasonable annual compensation. 2. Any channel advertising for more than 2 minutes per hour should be classified as Free to Air Commercial Service. Concept Note 3 – Open Technology Set Top Boxes DOT should issue common uniform Standards for all Set Top Boxes that can access latest technology upgrade and System Operators should control only select national or international pay channels. Set Top Boxes should also allow access to Free To Air Feed of one or two additional Free To Air Broadcasters. Doordarshan may provide 200-300 free to air channels. Set top boxes should be transferable. Objectives - 1. DTH or Cable Operators are required to control access to only the pay channels subscribed but misusing the monopoly situation DUMP unwanted free channels and deny thousand more. There are close to 2000 channel slots available. DTH and Cable Operators may be controlling 50 or 100 pay channels. Rest of the slots be open for Free To Air Channels Broadcasters. 2. Doordarshan as free to air Broadcaster would access suitable Indian and Foreign Channels and provide free feed to DTH and cable operators. Similarly any other private Free To Air broadcaster may provide feed to the DTH and cable operators. 3. Free to Air Broadcasters may advertise for 30 seconds every hour to cover cost. Concept 4 – Introduce ATSC Broadcast Standard India must adopt latest broadcast technology since most of TV sets, DVDs and Set Top Boxes are imported it will be cheaper to switch to latest global standards broadcast than specially designed costlier products for Indian market. Objectives – It is always advantageous to adopt latest global standards in broadcasting in the beginning since most of the products are imported. India could save $tens of billions in coming years by avoiding multi-system imports. Concept Note 5 – Mobile Adalats for Overcharging By Telecom Operators Mobile Telecom Adalats be constituted to deliver justice on the spot. Objective – 1. Telecom billing disputes of overcharging remain unresolved while consumers fail to get any due for over charging Telecom Operators hire goons to terrorize subscribers. Mobile courts presided by retire civil judge or IPS or IAS officer may dispense on the spot justice. They may draw a honorarium of Rs.1000 per day from Telecom Company accounts who otherwise hire goons at high cost. 2. Telecom companies through outsourcing agents lure subscribers with false promises of low tariff but actual bills are 2-3 times stated and advertised tariff. Concept Note 6 – Quarterly & Annual Bills for Telecom Subscribers TRAI should direct Telecom operators to provide quarterly bills or Quarterly Service Details to Prepaid subscribers with details of calls made and payments realized. TRAI and consumer courts could get access to Telecom Operators billing data free of cost. Objective – 1. Objective is to ensure Prepaid consumers get receipts of payments made and service details. Subscribers don’t get cash receipts for recharge (Prepaid customers don’t get any bills.) 2. This will also alert subscribers to unwanted charges, excess billing and wrong tariff complaints. Thank you Ravinder Singh Inventor & Consultant [email protected] *Ravinder Singh is a professional inventor and has secured six patents. He represented India at WIPO first Expo’85 World Exhibition of Young Inventors, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In Plovdiv he met Young Inventors from 53 countries. He is mechanical engineer specializing in Power, Transportation, Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technologies and Projects.
