5G and Beyond Rewiring Telecom Regulation

Beyond enabling ultra-fast data transmission, 5G and next-generation networks represent a fundamental transformation in how individuals and organizations connect and interact. The success of these future networks is of interest not just to telecom operators but also to a broader ecosystem--including OTT (over-the-top) service providers, cloud platforms, system integrators, and infrastructure companies. This expanding stakeholder landscape calls for a re-evaluation of conventional telecom regulation in favor of a more adaptable and inclusive framework. 5G and Beyond: Rewiring Telecom Regulation critically examines India's current licensing regime through the lenses of functional separation, diagonal equity, and digital neutrality. Prasad and Sridhar express concern over the growing influence of certain OTT players and argue for regulatory reforms that ensure fairness and flexibility across diverse network services. Core regulatory principles--such as interconnection, spectrum management, net neutrality, and universal access--are revisited in the light of evolving technologies and market dynamics. The authors also explore how their proposed licensing and regulatory framework could be applied to telecom markets beyond India's borders.

Rohit Prasad, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon,V. Sridhar, Professor, Centre for IT and Public Policy, International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore

Rohit Prasad is a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. He has a PhD in Economic Theory from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA. His research interests include the economics of information and communication technology, the markets for distressed debt, and sustainable development. His book, The Dynamics of Spectrum Management, co-authored with Dr. V. Sridhar was published by Oxford University Press in 2014. He has served on High Powered Committees of the Reserve Bank of India (on the comprehensive review of the working of the bankruptcy ecosystem) and the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India (to make recommendations on spectrum allocation and pricing in India), and on two Expert Panels for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to study the value of spectrum.

V. Sridhar is a Professor at the Centre for IT and Public Policy at the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore, India. He is the author of three books, two with Oxford University Press and one with Springer. With a PhD from the University of Iowa, USA, Dr. Sridhar has taught at many institutions in the USA, Finland, New Zealand, and India. He has been a member of Government of India committees on telecom and information technology and has received national and international funding for his research projects. His work can be accessed at: http://www.vsridhar.info