Government Notifies Telecom Regulatory Sandbox Rules 2026 to Enable Testing of New Technologies

Key facts

• The Central Government has notified the Telecommunications (Regulatory Sandbox) Rules, 2026, allowing eligible startups, companies, researchers and individuals to test innovative telecom technologies, services and business models in a controlled regulatory environment.
• Under the rules, the Central Government can create a regulatory sandbox on its own initiative or by accepting a proposal submitted by an applicant, either on their own initiative or in response to a government request for proposals.
• The rules provide exemptions from certain provisions of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 to facilitate testing under specified conditions.
• A regulatory sandbox can initially operate for up to 24 months, with extensions of up to 12 months at a time, and extension requests must be submitted at least 30 days before the existing validity expires.
• Applicants must apply through the designated government portal with a non-refundable processing fee of ₹10,000, along with reports of previous laboratory testing and the exemptions they seek from existing telecom regulations.
• Approved applicants must obtain prior user consent for trials, inform participants of the testing's purpose and scope, and cannot charge users for participating.
• Commercial sale or availability of technologies, services, products and business models under testing is prohibited during the sandbox period.
• Applicants must retain testing records, including work plans, methodologies and user consent records, for at least one year after the sandbox's validity expires, or longer if required by the Central Government.