印度由于人均G D P水平低,饮用水、交通等基础设施都有很大的资金缺口,因而直到上世纪90年代,对电信部门的投资都很少。1994年以前,电信全部由国家投资,2000年每百人主线普及率仅为3.2%,且城乡差别严重。上世纪90年代后期印度开始鼓励民营资本投资电信,并向私营公司拍卖许可证, In India, investment in the telecommunications sector was minimal until the 1990s, as the level of GDP per capita was low and there was a large funding gap for infrastructure such as drinking water and transportation. Before 1994, all telecommunication was invested by the state. In 2000, the mainstream penetration rate per 100 residents was only 3.2%, and the disparity between urban and rural areas was serious. In the late 1990s, India began to encourage private capital to invest in telecommunications and auction permits to private companies.