Rajkumar Upadhyay’s job as advisor, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is challenging but rewarding. “Since one is dealing with policy matters that have a bearing on the entire nation, one cannot afford to make a mistake. Pursuing research work on varying subjects such as infrastructure, interconnection, spectrum  and M&A is intellectually rewarding,” he says.

With about 23 years of experience in the telecom sector, Upadhyay has been closely associated with policy formulation on the National Broadband Plan, infrastructure, termination charges, spectrum auctions and pricing, mobile value-added  services, etc.

He played a leading role in developing a management information and business intelligence system, which will be launched shortly by TRAI.   Until now, operators were submitting data to various sections of TRAI manually; report generation was manual too. “The system automates the entire data submission process by allowing operators to submit the data online. Various reports can be generated using the business intelligence package. This is expected to ease data accessibility and help TRAI in deriving useful  information at the click of a button. Going forward, the regulator will be publishing all its reports using this system,” says Upadhyay.

With the government coming up with the latest round of spectrum auctions and FDI norms, there will be greater policy certainty, enabling operators to make judicious investment decisions, Upadhyay says. Growth will be driven by the increasing demand for data through 3G and 4G, and the growing market for smartphones and tablets.

However, this growth is likely to entail several challenges for the industry, he points out. “With the increasing usage of smartphones, over-the-top (OTT) players are offering applications that may impact operators’ traditional revenue streams. Operators could look to partner with OTT players to provide managed services, thereby transforming this challenge into an opportunity.”

Upadhyay follows a democratic approach in managing his team. “My job profile requires a lot of engagement and collaboration with different departments. So, one needs to take into account the other’s point of view and be open-minded in accepting suggestions,” he says.

Upadhyay is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee and IIM Bangalore. Work keeps him busy but on the weekend, he makes an effort to spend time with his family and meet up with friends and relatives.