COAI wants telecom industry to be recognised as public utility service

NEW DELHI: The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has said that the telecom industry of India should be recognised as a public utility service, looking at its necessity for the overall economic and social development and growth of the country.

"We believe it is the time that this industry is recognised and is given the status of a public utility service and given the benefits of an infrastructure sector. It is the private players who have been fast reaching the remote and rural areas of the country. With this, the private mobile industry is extending the benefit of the latest technology and providing provision of urban amenities in rural areas (PURA),” said, Rajan S Mathews, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India.

Mathews has also said that the urban connectivity has been increased by 2.19%, while the mobile phone subscription and connectivity has been increased by 3.20% in India by January 2011, according to he Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) official data on subscriber base in the country.