Telecom_report_Final - India 2012 Telecom growth continues...

India 2012: Telecom growth continues
Confederation of Indian Industry

“The report by Ernst & Young on ‘ India 2012: Telecom growth continues ’ is
based on very exhaustive research and rational analysis. The key challenges
impacting the growth of the sector has also been very constructively identified.
I am confident that this very valuable report would provide the gateway for
understanding telecom in India.”
Nripendra Misra, Chairman, TRAI unveils CII- Ernst & Young report “India 2012: Telecom
growth continues,” at the CII Roundtable Conference—India Telecom Landscape 2012 on
28 November 2008.
From left - Ambrish Bakaya, Director, Corporate Affairs, Nokia India Pvt. Ltd., Nripendra
Misra, Chairman, TRAI, Rajat Mukarji, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, IDEA Cellular Ltd,
Prashant Singhal, Telecommunications Leader, Ernst & Young Pvt Ltd and Sujith Haridas,
Director, ICT & Defence, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Unveiling India 2012:
Telecom growth continues
Nripendra Misra
Chairman, TRAI

India 2012: Telecom growth continues 2
Foreword
The Telecom sector in India has witnessed unparalleled growth by global standards. In
a little over a decade of wireless telephony, India has moved from a subscriber base of
zero to becoming the second-largest market in the world after China. This growth would
continue provided we have progressive policies that shall provide impetus to free flow of
investment, ideas and technology that facilitate growth and evolution of this sector. The
progress in the sector has been something to be proud of and it is often viewed as ample
testimony to the India growth story.
Several developments in the industry are afoot, which will be crucial to defining the
state of this industry in times to come. Additional 2G spectrum has been recently
allotted, allowing the entry of several new players — wherein a majority of them are
also acquiring strategic international partners, commencing the globalization of Indian
Telecom. The rollout of 3G, which could potentially transform the bouquet of services
extended to consumers from vanilla voice and basic data to rich entertainment and
far more, is poised for a take-off with the impending auction of the 3G spectrum.
Broadband — conventional as well as wireless — is poised for a major leap. In the wake
of such developments, a concerted effort must be made between the industry and the
Government (as the prime mover and regulator on policies in Telecom) on ensuring that
policies, regulations and laws are formulated in a manner that creates systematic growth
and harnesses the full potential of this industry for the Indian consumer.
CII, in collaboration with Ernst & Young, has put together this report, which brings out
the current status of the industry with a brief perspective on how that growth has been
achieved, and sets the context for the landscape in 2012. It focuses on current issues
and the envisaged future concerns and potential points of debate, which would need to