Question

India’s telecommunication network is the second largest in

the world by number of telephone users and has one of the

lowest call tariffs in the world. Major sectors of the Indian

telecommunication industry are telephone, internet and

television broadcast.

Indian telecom industry underwent a high pace of market

liberalisation and growth since the 1990s and now has

become the world’s most competitive and one of the fastest

growing telecom markets. Moreover, telecommunication has

supported the socio-economic development of India and has

played a significant role to narrow down the rural-urban

digital divide to some extent. It has also helped to increase

the transparency of governance with the introduction of egovernance in India. The government has pragmatically used

modern telecommunication facilities to deliver mass

education programmes for the rural folk of India. In context

of the above case:

(a) Why was telecommunication sector reserved for

public sector at the time of independence?

(b) Why was telecommunication sector privatised later

on?

(c) Do you think the consumers have been benefitted

through privatisation of telecommunication sector?

List any two values that the telecommunication sector has

propagated through its working
please answer in manner and in good explainition
​

Answer 1

Answer:

India's telecommunication network is the second largest in the world by number of telephone users (both fixed and mobile phone) with 1.1724 billion subscribers as on 31 Dec 2019. It has one of the lowest call tariffs in the world enabled by mega telecom operators and hyper-competition among them.

Total telephone subscribers: 1.1724 billion (Dec 2019)

Mobile subscribers: 1.1514 billion (Dec 2019)

Broadband subscribers: 661.94 million (Dec 2019)

Wireless Subscribers: 86.98%; (Dec 2019)