According to a British Telecom's senior regulatory adviser, John MacMahan, the discussion paper failed to make clear its direction on several critical issues such as details on overall policy framework and on entry and operating conditions which are to apply. According to a company release, the BT expert was of the opinion that the discussion paper did not hold out assurances that the policy and licencing functions will be undertaken by an independent body or that the regulator will have the power to deal with the anti-competitive practices.

The company added that lack of clarity may have an effect on mobilisation of investments in the telecom sector. Macmahon , who is an expert on international telecom regulation, said unless the telecom policy draft very clearly addresses these issues, BT believes that the continuingliberalisastion process of the Indian telecom market is threatened, Macmahan said.

Arun Seth, managing director of BT Worldwide India Ltd, said for BT, or any serious investor in India today, the fundamental requirement for the new telecom policy is for it to demonstrate that some certainty exists in the Indian telecom market.

Certainty requires not only a clear and comprehensive statement of policy at a general level but also its stipulation at a detailed level, he said.

Having experienced a form of liberalisation in Britain that is similar to India today, BT has gone through the draft discussion paper. "Sadly, in its present form this paper leaves much to be desired and is not what we as long-term investors committed to the Indian market have been expecting and hoping for," he added.