NEW DELHI, Aug 1: The Telecom Commission has decided to allow private internet service providers to do business without any licence fees for the first two years of their operations. This offer is contained in the new Internet policy approved by the commission at its last full board meeting.

According to the policy, expected to be announced next week, "licence fees would be waived for the first two years to provide growth of Internet services."

A significant aspect of the new policy is that international connectivity to Internet will be only through local DoT or VSNL Internet gateway and no international direct leased lines will be allowed. This is to avoid security risk.

All ISPs (Internet service providers), government and private, will go through the gateway Internet access services (GIAS) of VSNL only for international connectivity. This arrangement would, however, be for a limited period only and will be reviewed after a year. VSNL will be asked to take all necessary steps to augment capacity on the international Internet backbone.

The policy envisages that DoT should continue to provide and expand Internet services all over the country. However, DoT has been asked to ensure that its role as ISP does not stand in the way of ensuring fair competition and equal opportunities to private ISPs.

Internet operators will be free to formulate their commercial conditions in respect of registration, surrender of registration, concessional service to certain categories of organisations etc. VSNL would cease its operations as an ISP and will transfer its existing customer base to DoT.

The governemnt is very keen on the expansion of Internet in a big way and the cabinet note on the subject underlines: "It was necessary to strive towards explosive growth of Internet users with a goal of 1.5 million subscribers in a time frame of two years. The progress being made would be monitored by DoT."

The government will set up a high power group called Internet management group (IMG) for the supervision of ISP operations. The group will look into the domain name registration activity.

Operators wings freed

No licence fee for private operators in the first two years.

*Private operators free to fix their commercial conditions.

*International connectivity only through VSNL gateway.

*No international direct leased lines to be allowed.

*Licence initially for five years.

*Licence for E-Mail to be broad based to provide Internet.

*Internet management group to supervise activity.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.