Author
Shyam Ponappa
95 items.
2 Feb 2017
Blog post
Cashlessness Needs ConnectivityAnd connectivity needs political and administrative convergence. This new year brings with it uncertainties amidst the push for cashlessness. Without going into the demerits or otherwise, some clarity on a road map to go forward from where …
10 Oct 2016
Blog post
A Market Structure for Digital IndiaIf delivery is priced below cost, communications services will be unsustainable and ineffective. The stress in the telecom sector is evident from the data. The market capitalisation of listed telecom operators has been stagnant since the 3G …
1 Sep 2016
Blog post
Digital India Needs These Policy ChangesAppropriate policies will increase connectivity much more than spectrum auctions.
4 May 2016
Blog post
Breakthroughs Needed For Digital IndiaIt's time the government accepts that current policies are not enough to bring about Digital India.
3 Mar 2016
Blog post
Connectivity: Let's Apply What We KnowThose who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it - George Santayana. Reprise good decisions, and avoid the missteps.
5 Feb 2016
Blog post
Bottled-Up National AssetsApply electronic toll collection systems to roads, and adapt road network concepts in organizing and managing communications networks.
6 Nov 2015
Blog post
The Buzz Around TV White SpaceLarge blocks of underused spectrum lie tantalizingly out of reach, waiting for enabling regulation, administration, and to some extent technology, to accelerate our move towards Digital India.
3 Oct 2015
Blog post
Digital India - Now to WorkThere's a buzz about Digital India again with an Indian PM finally reaching Silicon Valley. So are we close to broadband taking off, or is this just more hype?
4 Sep 2015
Blog post
More On Those Dropped CallsA basic problem is that the cost of spectrum and licences relative to earnings is too high, structurally.
6 Aug 2015
Blog post
Those Dropped CallsAnd what could be done to fix them...Why do we have so many dropped calls on our mobile phones? Operators say it's because of the closure and shortage of cell towers, and too little spectrum.
2 Jul 2015
Blog post
The Centrality of Cash FlowsGreece's experience tells us that cash flows are crucial to economic outcomes. No matter how far-reaching the vision, ambition, and slogans, the effects of cash flows are profound and inevitable.
4 Jun 2015
Blog post
Unfettering Stranded CapacityGovernment can't control market forces, but can and must fix regulatory issues. First, the good news: the government does appear to be making serious efforts to tackle stranded capacity and stalled projects, as in the instances below. Such …
10 May 2015
Blog post
Stranded Capacities & Greater ExpectationsIndia's infrastructure is in a shambles because of stranded capacities that don't connect with unmet needs. Every aspect of infrastructure, such as electricity or broadband for communications, needs to be designed and executed to flow …
30 Mar 2015
Blog post
Railway Takeaways for Digital IndiaExtending the approach of the Railway Budget to telecommunications and broadband. For the first time since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed the government last year, we have something more than grand aspirational statements to …
28 Dec 2014
Blog post
A Road Map for Digital IndiaIndia's current policies for telecommunications don't serve our interests. Here's what must change.
11 Aug 2014
Blog post
Transformation, or Drift?We need transformative policies and incentives with purpose, especially in solar power and digital infrastructure.
5 Jun 2014
Blog post
A Great Start (for the Modi government)The National Democratic Alliance government has made a terrific start. Time will tell how this plays out, but it has begun decisively and set a sure tone.
1 May 2014
Blog post
An Infrastructure Road MapWhat should and should not be done by a new government in this crucial sector.
9 Mar 2014
Blog post
Extractive Charges on Spectrum & PetroleumThe author examines whether government levies on these critical inputs are beneficial or detrimental.
12 Feb 2014
Blog post
Centre- or State-Driven Development?Federalism requires a strong Centre as well as strong states, and effective organisation and coordination -- which can be facilitated by using the Internet.
6 Dec 2013
Blog post
For a Telecom RevivalThe government announced momentous decisions, subject to Cabinet approval, on telecom policy on December 3.
18 Nov 2013
Blog post
Predictability in InfrastructureSystematic planning and execution can reduce the need for crisis management in infrastructure and manufacturing.
6 Sep 2013
Blog post
Regrouping for Growth - Interest Rates - IIIAside from muddling along, the choices are to try to grow and retain capital to staunch the gap temporarily, or to settle for low growth and capital flight.
31 Aug 2013
Blog post
TRAI Consultation Paper on SpectrumShyam Ponappa and A.B.Beliappa worked on this submission to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on their spectrum consultation paper. The submission was made on August 21, 2013.
10 Aug 2013
Blog post
Breaking into the Closed Circle: Domestic High-Tech Manufacturing Needs Access To MarketsThe deferral of India's preferential market access (PMA) policy for locally manufactured high-tech products indicates some lack of clarity and/or confusion in the government.
8 Jul 2013
Blog post
Building Up vs Tearing DownWe have to find ways to deal with corruption without subverting our developmental aims.
6 Jun 2013
Blog post
Law & Order through Traffic SystemsA TV white space system for traffic management may induce us to observe discipline and law-abiding behaviour, writes Shyam Ponappa in an article published in the Business Standard on June 5, 2013.
10 May 2013
Blog post
Configuring a 'Non-Toothless' Regulator (TRAI)A proposal to give the telecom regulator the right to impose penalties marks a sea change in the government's approach to regulation.
28 Apr 2013
Blog post
Prioritizing Communications & EnergyAfter curbing unproductive expenditure and imports, we must focus on developing communications and energy.
12 Mar 2013
Blog post
Are India's Glory Days Over?Unless major structural changes are effected, India will miss an economic take-off for many years, writes Shyam Ponappa.