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Source: The post is based on the article “Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) launches Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme” published in PIB on 1st October 2022.
What is the News?
Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), a body under the Department of Telecommunications, officially launched Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) Scheme.
What is the reason for launching Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) Scheme?
The Universal Service Obligation Fund(USOF) is the pool of funds generated by the 5% Universal Service Levy that is charged upon all telecom fund operators on their Adjusted Gross Revenue.
The draft telecom bill has said that the USOF shall be referred to as the “Telecommunication Development Fund”. The USOF has largely been used to aid rural connectivity. But the objective of TDF is also to boost connectivity in underserved urban areas, R&D, skill development etc.
What are the salient features of Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF)?
Aim:
-To fund R&D in rural-specific communication technology applications and form synergies among academia, start-ups, research institutes, and the industry to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.
-To promote technology ownership and indigenous manufacturing, create a culture of technology co-innovation, reduce imports, boost export opportunities and creation of Intellectual Property.
-To develop standards to meet countrywide requirements and create the ecosystem for research, design, prototyping, use cases, pilots, and proof of concept testing
Function: The scheme entails grants to Indian entities to encourage and induct indigenous technologies tailor-made to meet domestic needs.
| Read more: Over the top – on Telecommunication Bill 2022 |
