Wider industry participation necessary to boost digital trust, strengthen infrastructure: COAI

New Delhi, Aug 29 Industry association The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Friday reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen the digital network infrastructure for a 'Viksit Bharat by 2047' and called for wider industry participation to increase digital trust.

At an event in the national capital, Ritu Ranjan Mittar, Member, TRAI, said, “The time for AI-enabled phones is drawing near, and trust issues must be addressed, given the challenges voice AI will bring. With ongoing work on backhaul spectrum and updated interconnect regulations, DoT and TRAI are actively advancing the sector.”

Rahul Vatts, Vice Chairperson, COAI, and Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel, emphasised the participation of a wider digital ecosystem to tackle challenges related to digital trust, a release said.

“Nowhere else in the world do networks carry 25 to 28 GB of data per user as smoothly or roll out a massive 5G network in hardly a year and a half. One key concern today is digital trust and safety, especially with large-scale digital fraud," he said.

Telecom network operators, with government and regulator support, are addressing this with forward-looking regulations and innovative solutions, but wider industry participation is required, Vatts added.

Industry leaders were speaking at a Digital India initiative, 'COAI Dialogues'. Top officials were unanimous that the stakeholders must not be content with our current accomplishments of digital inclusion, such as 1.2 billion users or the fastest rollout of 5G, but rather strive to reach the last consumer who is still not included.

Industry leaders discussed the early monetisation of next-generation technologies, like 6G, and their transformative role in accelerating sustainable development. They also discussed how to deal with issues of immediate attention, such as the rise of spam/fraud communications via OTT communication apps.

"As a rising telecom superpower, India can lead by championing global standards, opening interoperable frameworks, and fostering harmony amid digital fragmentation.

Over 200 industry leaders and policy influencers discussed regulatory innovation, next-gen technology deployment, investment strategies and inclusive connectivity.

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