Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has introduced significant changes to the processes for issuing Experimental Licenses, Demonstration Licenses, and Equipment Type Approvals (ETA). These changes are part of its ongoing efforts to enhance ease of doing business in the telecom sector. These reforms are aimed at reducing delays and simplifying regulatory requirements, fostering innovation and streamlining operations for businesses and telecom operators.
For Experimental Licenses (Radiating Category), fixed timelines have been introduced to ensure quicker approvals. For Experimental Licenses cases not requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the license will be deemed issued after 30 days if no decision is conveyed. In cases requiring Inter-Ministerial Consultation, the DoT will seek comments within seven days of receiving a complete application. If no comments are received, a provisional license will be granted after 60 days, which will be converted to a regular license after 90 days, provided there are no adverse comments.
Similarly, for Demonstration Licenses (Radiating Category), licenses without Inter-Ministerial Consultation will be deemed granted after 15 days. For those requiring consultation, licenses will be deemed granted after 45 days once comments are sought from relevant authorities.
All the applications of Equipment Type Approvals (ETA) for license-exempt wireless devices will now be granted on a self-declaration basis. Applicants can submit their applications through the SARAL Sanchar portal (https://saralsanchar.gov.in/), where they can download their ETA certificates upon successful submission. This self-declaration process is expected to significantly reduce the time and effort required for approvals, benefiting companies looking to deploy wireless equipment in the Indian market.
