On 25 June 2026 the Department of Telecommunications opened an online portal for telecommunication service authorisations and licence migration under the Telecommunications Act, 2023; telecommunication rules under sections 3(1)(a) and 3(6) were notified on 23 June 2026.
Portal and operational details
- Launch date: 25 June 2026; Telecom eServices Portal — https://eservices.dot.gov.in/authorisation-portal.
- Digital by design: End‑to‑end online submission and processing for authorisations and migrations.
- Application scope: Fresh authorisations and migration of existing Unified Licences, VNOs, Standalone Licences, Registrations, Permissions and NOCs.
Legal framework
- Statutory basis: Rules notified 23 June 2026 under sections 3(1)(a) and 3(6) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
- Regime change: Replaces the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 licensing regime with an authorisation‑based system.
Authorisations, services and obligations
- Authorisation types: Network Service Operator (NSO), Virtual Network Operator (VNO), or both.
- Services covered: Wireline, wireless, internet, M2M, in‑flight connectivity and other principal telecom services.
- Regulatory obligations: Anti‑fraud duties, mandatory data localisation and real‑time traffic monitoring for authorised entities in India.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Application suspension: DoT suspended acceptance of new licence applications from 10 November 2025 pending the new framework.
- Migration requirement: Existing licence holders must migrate to the new authorisation terms via the portal to continue operations.