Government Mulls Telecom Patent Fund To Help Startups, SMEs Acquire Costly Patented Tech: Report

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is gearing up to introduce the Telecommunications Patent Fund (TPF) aimed at fostering innovation and indigenous technological development in India's telecommunications sector.

As reported by Business Standard, the TPF seeks to facilitate the acquisition of costly patented technologies in both hardware and software domains and streamline the process of obtaining licenses, thereby providing significant support to startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), educators, and domestic companies.

This initiative is expected to particularly benefit indigenous telecommunications companies and SMEs, which often face challenges in acquiring expensive technologies due to financial constraints.

By bridging the gap between domestic companies and global technological advancements, the fund aims to create an environment conducive to innovation, ultimately leading to the development of indigenous technologies and the localization of telecommunications products and services.

In addition to facilitating technology acquisition, the TPF will also oversee the licensing of intellectual property rights (IPR) at the national level.

Moreover, the funding for the TPF is expected to be sourced from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), with plans underway to establish an independent unit to manage the fund's operations.

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