Overview

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.

Full Product Details

Author:   Rohit Prasad (Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon) ,  V. Sridhar (Professor, Professor, Centre for IT and Public Policy, International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
ISBN:  

9780198973331

ISBN 10:   0198973330
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   15 January 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   To order  

Table of Contents

1: 5G and Beyond: Technologies of the Future 2: The Economics of the Digital Ecosystem 3: The Integrated Sphere of Co-opetition of Digital Services and Diagonal Equity 4: Licensing: From the Communications Convergence Bill to Functional Separation and Infrastructure Integration 5: Spectrum Regulation for 5G+ Networks 6: From Net Neutrality to Digital Neutrality: In 5G+ Networks 7: Interconnection and Data Portability Regulation 8: Universal Service Policy 9: The Future of Telecom Regulation Introduction: American Torture, American Terrorism, and The Myth of American Decency Chapter 1: Victim-Centered Definitions of Torture and Terrorism Chapter 2: The Erasure of American Torture Chapter 3: Invisible Torture: American Incarceration and Immigration Detention Chapter 4: Police Violence and White Supremacist Terrorism Chapter 5: Drone Warfare as Terrorism Chapter 6: The Importance of Naming Torture and Terrorism

Reviews

This book comprehensively reviews the regulatory challenges raised by the advent of new information and communication technologies. Prasad and Sridhar have put forward excellent ideas for regulation and policymaking in this highly contested field. These address issues that are not just relevant at the current moment but also provide commentary on topics likely to engage the policy community in the years to come, such as interoperability, data portability, and 6G. Though written with a focus on India's business and regulatory environment, 5G and Beyond is highly relevant for legislators, regulators, and industry practitioners in the developed and developing worlds alike. It is an outstanding work of scholarship and real-world insight. * Krishna Jayakar, Professor and Head, Department of Telecommunications, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Penn State University *

Author Information

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

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions