The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is likely to finalise the draft Communications Convergence bill before the winter session of the parliament.

The bill proposes the formation of the Communications Commission, an apex regulatory body with defined powers, procedures and functions for regulatory and licensing functions.

The proposed Communications Commission will follow and regulate the market dynamics and anti-competitive behavior. Apart from this, through the Communications Convergence Bill, the government aims to stimulate competition in services, applications and devices markets and seeks to provide an ‘easy entry and easy exit’ policy. Further, the bill intends to promote transparency and limit regulation in markets where the scope of competition is limited. Regulations in these markets will focus on price and quality of service.

The Communications Convergence Bill was originally drafted under the then government in 2000.