COAI Seeks Cut in Licence Fee, Customs Duty Waiver for 5G Network Gear

Cellular operators’ affiliation COAI has urged the federal government for a lower in licence price to 1 per cent, and sought waiver of customs obligation on community gear for 5G rollout.

In its Finances wishlist submitted to the finance ministry, the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has additionally pushed for abolition of the Common Service Obligation Fund or USOF.

The apex telecom affiliation has urged the federal government for rationalisation of GST, discount of licence price to 1 p.c from 3 p.c and waiver of customs obligation on 5G community gear.

Throughout the pre-Finances discussions held on Monday, COAI additionally sought the elimination of GST on licence price, spectrum utilization costs and cost of spectrum acquired in auctions.

Different calls for embrace refund of collected enter tax credit score of GST (Rs. 32,000 crore) and clarification relating to availability of enter tax credit score on crucial gear put in on telecom towers.

COAI counts telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea as its members.

COAI on Tuesday made a powerful pitch for OTT (over-the-top) communication providers to instantly compensate telcos for knowledge site visitors they’re driving onto the networks, because it advocated a licensing and light-touch regulation framework for such providers. COAI Director Normal SP Kochhar mentioned the affiliation, as a part of the draft telecom invoice, has given its recommendations on how OTT communication providers needs to be outlined to make sure there isn’t a ambiguity. 

Different facets like the precise monetary mannequin for OTT communication providers to compensate telecom service suppliers might be made to the federal government going ahead as and when the nuances of framework for light-touch regulation is mentioned, Kochhar added. OTT communication providers embrace the likes of WhatsApp, Sign, Google Meet, Telegram and different related apps.