International Trade

Negotiating Group on Basic Telecommunications – Communication from India – Draft Offer on Basic Telecommunications

Indian Papers/ submissions on Services in WTO

RESTRICTED

World Trade S/NGBT/W/12/Add.32
26 April 1996
Organization
(96-1669)

Original: English
Negotiating Group on Basic Telecommunications

COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA
Draft Offer on Basic Telecommunications

The following communication is circulated at the request of India to members of the Negotiating Group on Basic Telecommunications.

India hereby submits this draft offer on Basic Telecommunications. This offer is conditional. India reserves the right to modify, reduce or withdraw this offer, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the conclusion of the negotiations on Basic Telecommunications.

India further reserves the right to make technical changes to the offer and to correct any errors, omissions and inaccuracies.

INDIA – DRAFT OFFER

Modes of supply:

  • Cross-border supply
  • Consumption abroad
  • Commercial presence
  • Presence of natural persons
Sector or Sub-sector Limitations on Market Access Limitations on National Treatment Additional Commitments
2. COMMUNICATION SERVICES
C. Telecommunications services
a. Voice telephone services (CPC 7521**) (1) Unbound (1) Unbound
Limited to local/long distance over a public telecommunication transport network
Wire based (i.e. for fixed network of subscribers)
(2) Unbound
(3) The service will be permitted to be provided only after the operator gets a licence from the Designated Authority who shall determine the need, if any, for issuance of new licences. The terms and conditions of the licence will be as laid down by the Designated Authority or Government or the prevailing laws in the country.
(2) Unbound
(3) Unbound
There will be one operator, other than Department of Telecommunications [DOT]/Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. [MTNL], in each service area for a period of 10 years from the grant of licence after which the position will be reviewed.
The private operator should be a company registered in India in which total foreign equity must not exceed 25%.
Service operator will be permitted to provide long distance service within the service area for which the licence has been granted.
Resale of voice telephone services will not be permitted. However, licencees can grant franchises on commission basis for providing public call offices [PCOs] service.
The detailed terms and conditions for providing the service will be as per licence conditions.
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments. (4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments.
c. Circuit switched data transmission services
(CPC 7523**)
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(3) Licenced voice telephone service operators will be permitted for transmission of data on the PSTN network. (3) Unbound
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments. (4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments.
f. Facsimile services
(CPC 7521**)
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(3) Licenced voice telephone service operators will be permitted for transmission of facsimile on the PSTN network. Franchisees of service operators can provide commercial facsimile service. (3) Unbound
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments. (4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments.
g. Private leased circuit services
(CPC 7522**)
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(3) Licenced voice telephone service operators will be permitted to provide leased circuits only to their customers for their own use within their licenced service area. Resale of such leased circuits will not be permitted. (3) Unbound
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments (4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments
o. Other
Cellular mobile telephone services
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(3) The service will be permitted to be provided only after the operator gets a licence from the Designated Authority who shall determine the need, if any, for issuance of new licences. The terms and conditions of the licence will be as laid down by the Designated Authority or Government or the prevailing laws in the country. (3) Unbound
Only digital (GSM) technology will be permitted and will only be terrestrial based.
There will be two cellular service operators in each service area. The position will be reviewed after 10 years. The right of DoT/MTNL to enter into each service area is reserved.
The private operator should be a company registered in India in which total foreign equity must not exceed 25%.
The detailed terms and conditions for providing the service will be as per licence conditions.
(4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments. (4) Unbound except as indicated in the horizontal commitments.