Communications Minister Kapil Sibal has indicated certain suggestions which are to be included in the New Telecom Policy 2011. These include:
* Licence Period will be made 10 years instead of the present 20 years.
* A uniform licence fee will be charged for all segments
* Application for licence should be filed 30 months before the expiry of the present licence
* Spectrum and licence will be delinked
* There will be minimum six operators in a circle.

The NTP-2011 will be finalised before the end of this year, Minister stated. The DOT is also considering the proposal to allow sharing of spectrum. Merger & Acquisition (M&A) rules may be liberalised.

The indications are clear. The Government is moving fast for further liberalisation of the telecom sector. There is no indication how the government is going to help BSNL /MTNL to tide over the present crisis. Of course, the private operators are the priority and favourites of the UPA government.