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Tag: trai

  • Recommendations for Satcom Spectrum Allocation Will Be “Soon” Released by TRAI

    According to an official on 24 December, telecom regulator Trai will shortly make recommendations on regulations for the distribution of satellite spectrum. To open the door for satellite-based broadband services in the nation, the government would consider the suggestions made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) before deciding to distribute spectrum to satellite communication firms.

    Trai Chairman A K Lahoti stated that the recommendation on satcom spectrum rules will be released “very soon” when asked about it at a National Consumer Day event. In the second week of November, Trai wrapped up an open-house discussion on the terms and circumstances for spectrum assignment for specific commercial satellite-based communication services.

    Tug of War Between National and International Players

    Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, two telecom service providers, believe that spectrum should only be distributed through auctions in order to ensure nationwide mobility. Nonetheless, an administrative distribution of satcom spectrum is supported by Elon Musk’s Starlink, as well as international competitors like Amazon’s Project Kuiper and other satellite communication firms.

    Trai’s lengthy open-house discussion lasted for several hours, during which telcos Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel united and spoke in tandem about the need for a level playing field as India works out the norms for satcom spectrum. The battle lines between terrestrial players and satellite aspirants were clearly drawn. In support of the satellite spectrum auction, Jio stated that it is “not afraid of competition” but that “same services, same rules” must be followed.

    A retired Supreme Court judge was consulted by the Mukesh Ambani-led company to provide legal advice, stating that the issue of levelling the playing field with ground-based telecom networks appears to have been entirely ignored in Trai’s consultation paper on spectrum allotment for satellite communications. Several international peers, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper and Musk’s Starlink, support an administrative distribution of satcom spectrum.

    Satellite Earth Station Gateways

    Regarding licensing requirements for satellite earth station gateways (SESG), service providers have been at odds. While Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Apple partner Globalstar have stated that SESG does not require any new licensing, reports indicate that Amazon’s Kuiper, Canada’s Telesat, and Tata’s Nelco have shown interest in a distinct authorisation scheme for SESG.

    Data transfer between local networks is facilitated by SESGs, which are ground stations. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of communications, stated in October that satellite service spectrum would be administratively distributed but at a “cost.” It is important to remember that in order to provide satcom services in India, Starlink and Amazon Kuiper must first get a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence.  Permits to launch satellite communications services in the nation have only been granted thus far to Reliance Jio’s joint venture with Luxembourg-based satellite provider SES and Eutelsat Oneweb, which is supported by Bharti.

    TRAI to Finalize Satcom Spectrum Allocation Rules by December 15
    TRAI is set to finalize the proposed rules for Satcom spectrum allocation by December 15, shaping the future of satellite communication in India.
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  • By December 15, Trai will Finalise the Suggested Satcom Spectrum Allocation Rule

    According to Anil Kumar Lahoti, chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the organisation is expected to make its recommendations about spectrum assignment and satcom service price by December. Trai has examined all of the comments, rebuttals, and submissions from the industry following the open house discussion. After then, it will take us two months to arrive. Thus, Lahoti informed the media that at some point in December, Trai will be in a position to make its recommendations.

    Additionally, he stated that before developing the suggestions, TRAI will consult the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) regulations, worldwide best practices, and stakeholder inputs. This occurs weeks after representatives of terrestrial and non-terrestrial network providers attended an open house discussion on satcom spectrum allotment hosted by TRAI.

    Tug of War Between National and International Players

    There were heated exchanges during the event as telcos like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel demanded that satcom spectrum be distributed through an auction to guarantee a “level playing field,” while Jeff Bezos’s Amazon Project Kuiper and Elon Musk’s Starlink made the case for administrative satcom spectrum distribution.

    This comes after Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of communications, stated last month that satellite service spectrum will be distributed administratively but at a “cost” that would be determined by TRAI following thorough discussions with relevant parties. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the Minister of State (MoS) for communications, stated earlier this month that satcom should be viewed as an adjunct to terrestrial networks like 5G and 6G in order to close the digital gap and improve last-mile connectivity in India.

    The director of Starlink Satellite Communications, Parnil Urdhwareshe, stated during the open house that Indian consumers desire satellite broadband services and that these “intelligent consumers” are entitled to select an operator that will offer them a high-quality, reasonably priced service. He noted that Starlink’s website easily provides costs for any country and that the company takes pride in making satellite broadband accessible to those who have not yet had it.

    Consultation Paper and its Aftermath

    Notably, in September, TRAI released a consultation paper to investigate the process and cost of allocating spectrum to satcom firms. The study requested feedback on 21 topics, such as the process for calculating spectrum fees, satellite communications service frequency ranges, assignment duration, and provisions for spectrum surrender, among other things.

    In response, telecom provider Reliance Jio sent several letters to TRAI requesting that the consultation paper on satcom spectrum distribution be withdrawn. The company said that the current paper “overlooks the critical point of ensuring” a level playing field between satellite and terrestrial services.

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  • Trai Advocates for OTT App Censorship

    Over-the-top (OTT) communication services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal are subject to structured control, according to India’s telecom regulator. Law enforcement organisations and telecom providers expressed worries about security and spam control, which prompted this call.

    Speaking on the second day of the India Mobile Congress 2024, Anil Kumar Lahoti, chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), said that although over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms have greatly benefitted businesses and consumers, legal concerns brought up by traditional telecom providers and law enforcement agencies indicate that these platforms ought to be governed by a formal regulatory framework, as per a media report.

    Lahoti underlined that, given the cross-border nature of OTT services, regulators worldwide need to strike a balance between promoting innovation and upholding a just and competitive economy. This equilibrium is essential given the growing power of OTT platforms.

    Challenges in Bringing OTT Communication Platforms Under Regulatory Umbrella

    Sector analysts note that there have been challenges in reducing spam and online frauds on OTT platforms for both the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai. Since neither the DoT nor the Trai now have the power to take legal action against potential violators, this issue emphasises the jurisdictional challenges in regulating these platforms.

    Instead, in accordance with the intermediate provisions of the IT Act, these platforms are governed by the Ministry of Electronics & IT. Telecom firms have expressed concern about the rise in spam on over-the-top (OTT) platforms. They contend that because OTT services are not governed by DoT or Trai, efforts to address these problems are still ineffective.

    DoT Opposes Regulating Telegram and WhatsApp

    The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in contrast to Trai’s regulatory drive, stated in August of this year that it has no plans to control over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. This occurred while telecom companies persisted in advocating for the “same-service, same-rule” concept, contending that communication applications need to be subject to the same regulations as conventional telecom services.

    Officials stated that over-the-top (OTT) services are exempt from the new Telecommunications Act of 2023. OTT communication platforms are being interpreted by operators as falling under the Act’s definition of “telecommunication,” yet this interpretation is still up for debate. OTT service providers, on the other hand, argue that they shouldn’t be subject to extra regulation because they are already covered by the IT Act.

    Telecommunications Act 2023

    “Telecommunication” is defined as the sending and receiving of messages via wire, radio, optical, or electromagnetic networks in the Telecommunications Act 2023. According to officials, in order for a service to be included in this definition, message transmission must occur through a switch that is not connected to the network.

    However, with OTT platforms, messages are conveyed via data packets, and telecom firms handle the switching of these packets; customers are already charged for this service. Hence, authorities contend that OTT platforms do not satisfy the technical parameters for Act-mandated regulation.

    Trai to Address OTT App Regulation Separately; Put Satcom Spectrum Framework on Priority
    The chairman of telecom regulator Trai stated on 25 September 2024 that the agency will move quickly to accelerate the pricing of satellite spectrum before addressing the matter of regulating over-the-top apps such as Google Meet, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
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  • Jio Urges Trai to Evaluate the Consultation Document on the Satellite Spectrum

    Telecom regulator Trai has been urged by Reliance Jio to draft a revised paper on spectrum distribution for satellite communication, claiming that it fails to address the crucial issue of guaranteeing parity between satellite and terrestrial services.

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Chairman, Anil Kumar Lahoti, received a letter from Reliance Jio requesting that the consultation document on suggested rules for “terms and conditions for the assignment of spectrum for certain satellite-based commercial communication services” needed to be revised.

    Why Does Reliance Jio Want to Revise the Paper?

    The crucial problem of guaranteeing fairness between satellite-based and terrestrial access providers has been entirely disregarded in the consultation paper, which astonished us. In a letter dated October 4, Reliance Jio (RJIL) stated that this omission has led to the absence of any queries addressing the necessity of establishing a level playing field amongst these providers. According to Jio, if this element is left out, stakeholders won’t be able to give Trai enough thought and relevant input, which will compromise the suggestions’ fairness and the government’s goal of encouraging balanced competition.

    Trai launched a consultation process on September 27, 2024, to investigate the process and cost of allocating spectrum to satellite firms for the provision of broadband, messaging, telephony, and other services throughout the nation. In India, satellite-based internet services from firms like Jio Satellite Communications, OneWeb, which is sponsored by the Bharti Group, and Starlink, which is owned by Elon Musk, will be made possible by the decision on spectrum pricing and allocation methods.

    Jio and Vodafone Idea Have Opposed the Allocation

    Jio and Vodafone Idea have protested the distribution of spectrum to satellite firms without conducting any official auction for the same.  Jio claimed that the paper’s bias towards administrative spectrum assignment violates the Telecommunications Act of 2023’s standards.

    According to the Telecommunication Act of 2023, auctions are the primary means of allocating spectrum for commercial services. To address the level-playing field difficulties between satellite and terrestrial networks, the company kindly requests that Trai rethink and update the consultation document with targeted questions. According to Jio, stakeholders should continue to have a say in both the auction and administrative assignment processes, with careful attention paid to competitive fairness.

    A system for calculating spectrum charges, frequency ranges for satellite communications services, assignment length, and provisions for surrendering spectrum are among the 21 items on which Trai has requested feedback. According to the regulator, the deadline for comments on the paper is October 18, and the deadline for counter comments is October 25.

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  • A Contractual Character Should Be Maintained in the Telecom Service Authorization Regime: COAI

    The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) stated on 30 September 2024 that to guarantee consistency, regulatory certainty, and protection for shareholders who engage in long-term capital to the sector, the new service authorization regime in the telecom sector must maintain the contractual nature of the current licenses.

    The telecom regulator last week suggested that three new categories of authorizations be developed to cover the spectrum of telecom services in the nation, in line with the new Telecom Act, 2023, marking a significant reform of the licensing environment in the telecom sector.

    The recommendation, according to COAI, which speaks for private telecom providers Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, also gives TRAI the chance to ease the industry’s load by proposing the much-needed financial reforms.

    Why Does COAI Want to Retain the Contractual Nature?

    In order to calculate adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), COAI emphasised that only revenues collected under various authorisations for telecom services should be included. It stated, however, that the recommendation makes no mention of this problem.

    Telecom service providers worry that by introducing significant “regulatory uncertainty” and a lack of “predictability,” changing the current licence regime—which is based on a “contractual agreement” with the government—may endanger their investments and investors.

    Telecom executives made it clear during a meeting with Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia last week that the specific terms and conditions should remain part of the government-telecommunications company contract and that the new authorisations should only cover broader aspects such as the application process and eligibility requirements.

    COAI stated in a release that TRAI’s recommendation that the central government should grant service authorisation under Section 3(1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2024, instead of entering into an agreement with the entity, is without any valid justification and goes against the position of telecom service providers (TSPs). This undermining of the current regime, which has been successful for more than three decades, has brought enormous inflows of investments and growth to the sector.

    Exclusion of OTT Is Another Major Concern

    The absence of over-the-top (OTT) communication services from the new authorisation, according to TRAI, is a serious cause for concern as it provides an unlevel playing field where telcos are still required to meet stringent security and compliance standards.

    TRAI contended that in spite of their expanding importance as alternatives to traditional telecommunications services, these services are also not subject to any regulatory scrutiny on important problems like spam control. It further stated that because OTT players are still mainly unregulated, concerns are raised regarding national security, customer privacy, and the fairness of the market, as well as regulatory consistency in the quickly changing digital communications industry.

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  • Trai to Address OTT App Regulation Separately; Put Satcom Spectrum Framework on Priority

    The chairman of telecom regulator Trai stated on 25 September 2024 that the agency will move quickly to accelerate the pricing of satellite spectrum before addressing the matter of regulating over-the-top apps such as Google Meet, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Chairman RC Lahoti announced that a consultation document on satellite spectrum pricing will be released in the coming days.

    This document (Service Authorization Framework under Telecommunications Act 2023) did not include OTT. It is being covered in different conversations. According to Lahoti, TRAI has to address spectrum prices immediately. He declared that Trai would investigate whether the Telecommunications Act of 2023 should apply to OTT apps or not.

    Telecom Operators’ Concerns

    The latest recommendation from Trai on a new regime, which calls for allowing the deployment of telecom services using single authorization rather than a license, which was the standard under the previous regime, has alarmed telecom companies.

    According to Lahoti, Trai has just suggested the structure for service provisioning that should be put into place under the Telecommunications Act of 2023. The entire staff at TRAI was working on this enormous task of suggesting a new framework. According to Lahoti, the regulatory body will now begin developing suggestions for spectrum pricing. The new structure, according to Trai Principal Advisor SB Singh, makes it easier to follow the guidelines for providing services at a lower cost.

    In contrast to the previous system, he added, service providers would only require a single authorization for their offerings, and their compliance would be restricted to those services.

    Introduction of Three Broad Categories Telecommunication Service Authorisations

    Three general categories of communications service authorizations were suggested by the regulator on September 18: primary service authorizations, auxiliary service authorizations, and captive service authorizations. After releasing recommendations on the “Framework for Service Authorisations to be Granted Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023,” Trai announced that “Unified Service Authorisation” has been introduced under the new authorization framework to achieve the goal of “One Nation – One Authorisation” across services and service areas.

    Trai stated that rather than signing a contract with the organization, the government ought to authorize services under the new Telecommunications Act, of 2023. The admission charge for service authorization has been lowered by the regulator. Currently, there is no suggested timeline for service providers to transition to the new framework. It’s entirely optional. According to Lahoti, they are still able to operate under their current licenses.

    About Trai

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established on 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament known as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. Its primary responsibility is to regulate telecommunications services, which were previously held by the Central Government. This includes the fixation/revision of tariffs. The goal of TRAI is to foster the development of the nation’s telecommunications industry so that it can expand quickly enough to allow India to take the lead in the developing global information society.

    TRAI Taking Measures to Curb Misuse of Messaging Services
    In order to prevent the misuse of messaging services and safeguard consumers from fraudulent practices, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued guidelines for the implementation of certain measures.
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  • TRAI Taking Measures to Curb Misuse of Messaging Services

    In order to prevent the misuse of messaging services and safeguard consumers from fraudulent practices, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued guidelines for the implementation of certain measures. A recent Direction from TRAI requires all Access Service Providers to adhere to the established protocol. 

    In its ongoing campaign against unwanted spam, TRAI has made it obvious that as of September 1, 2024, no access service provider will be able to send messages with the URL “url(”)” attached.

    To improve message traceability, TRAI has ordered that beginning November 1, 2024, all messages shall include a traceable trail from their senders to their recipients. If the telemarketer chain is not specified or does not match, the message will be denied.

    Tightening the Security

    Given that TRAI has already cracked down on unlicensed telemarketers who send promotional messages and calls to telecom users, this latest development takes on more importance. For up to two years, TRAI has ordered telecom companies to deactivate the accounts of unregistered telemarketers who have been detected to make spam calls. This directive was issued last week.

    The regulatory body for telecom has “issued directions for enforcement of measures to curb the misuse of messaging services and protect consumers from fraudulent practices.”

    By September 30, 2024, at the latest, TRAI has ordered all access providers to transfer all telemarketing calls, beginning with the 140 series, to an online DLT platform. This will allow for improved control and monitoring.

    Further Measures Taken by TRAI

    • Starting from November 1, 2024, all messages must include a traceable trail from senders to recipients, according to TRAI’s mandate, in order to improve message traceability. Undefined or mismatched telemarketer chains will result in message rejection.
    • The TRAI has instituted strict penalties for infractions in an effort to discourage the exploitation of promotional content templates. Registration of Content Templates in the incorrect category will result in blacklisting; subsequent infractions will cause the Sender’s services to be suspended for one month.
    • All Headers and Content Templates that are registered on DLT must follow the rules that have been set out to ensure compliance with regulations. Furthermore, you can only link one Content Template to one Header.
    • The TRAI has ordered the immediate suspension of traffic from all of a sender’s headers and content templates until they can be verified in the event that misuse of these elements is discovered. Sender traffic will not be revoked unless Sender takes legal action against such usage. Delivery-Telemarketers are also subject to the same penalties if they do not disclose the companies responsible for such abuse within two business days.

    For the exact text of the Direction, stakeholders are urged to go to the TRAI website at www.trai.gov.in.

    In order to protect consumer interests and forestall fraudulent acts, these steps advance TRAI’s efforts to establish a secure messaging ecosystem.

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  • Despite Telecoms’ Demands for Regulation, OTTs Insist the Current Legal Framework Is Adequate

    The telcos’ proposal to control over-the-top (OTT) communication services like WhatsApp, Google’s RCS, and Telegram has been met with resistance from these companies, who point to the Information Technology Act (2000) as the reason why applications are already subject to regulation.

    The OTT industry’s governing bodies have warned against regulating the applications in response to a consultation paper from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) asking for opinions on service authorisations under the recently approved Telecommunications Act.

    When it comes to the technical details, telecom service providers (TSPs) handle things on the network side, whilst over-the-top (OTT) providers handle things on the application layer. In its counter comments to the consultation paper, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) stated that there is a clear difference between OTT service providers and telecom service providers (TSPs) in terms of operational and technical aspects. IAMAI further added that OTT services are not covered by the telecom act.

    Big Players Favouring the Telcos’ Proposal

    After telecom giants Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea demanded that Trai reform the current licencing system and introduce a pan-India single licence—a move that would include communication OTT players, who offer comparable services to carriers—the regulators have responded with counter comments.

    Aside from mobile phone providers, the Broadband India Forum (BIF) argued that various services necessitate distinct terms and conditions, and that granting a single authorisation would be capricious and detrimental to the regulatory system.

    If this were to happen, BIF argued, “It would essentially create a completely different category of ‘Super Authorisation,’” which would have anti-competitive and unnecessary regulatory consequences for service providers that want to specialise in a certain field or offer a specialised service.

    The trade group went on to say that this would lead to an increase in the concentration of wealth and power at the expense of the many who had hoped to reap the advantages of deregulation and growth in the market.

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    Since OTT services are a major source of revenue for telcos, IAMAI made it clear that they do not get free access to TSP networks. The need for internet connection is being driven by the desire for online content and apps provided by over-the-top (OTT) providers, according to IAMAI. According to the report, the monthly average revenue per user for wireless service providers increased by about 90 percent, going from INR 74.38 to INR 141.14 between the years 2019 and 2022. This growth was a direct result of a 156-fold rise in data usage, which went from 92.4 million GB to 14.4 trillion GB between the years 2014 and 2022.

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  • Trai’s Attempt to Show Caller ID Encounters Technical Challenges

    Due to technological issues, the telecom regulator’s ambitious goal of making name display mandatory for incoming calls seems to have been halted.

    In February, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) sent a message to telcos, asking them to combat spam and scam calls by ensuring a calling name presentation (CNAP) service on mobile phones.

    However, various media reports have stated that the proposed service cannot be implemented on a national scale due to the fact that it is incompatible with 2G/3G networks and would require substantial investments in network modifications.


    Hurdles That Are Blocking the Implementation


    Even if there are a large number of people using 2G, the money that these consumers bring in for mobile network service providers is quite low. Consequently, it is not a realistic choice for any service provider to invest in such a technology considering that a significant number of users are unable to access it.

    This indicates that the service cannot be provided to the 270–300 million users of the 2G network. The CNAP feature is expected to be supported by smartphones that have been introduced to the market after the year 2021, according to the information provided by a renowned media house. 

    Additional information was provided by a media article, which stated that even if the CNAP capability were included in 4G-5G devices, it would result in a longer call-setup time, which may potentially ruin the entire call experience for users.

    Reason Behind the Launch of This Idea

    In an effort to lessen the amount of consumer harassment caused by unknown or spam calls, Trai made a request to the government in February with the intention of mandating that telecommunications companies install the CNAP service and even pushing device OEMs to enable the feature within a period of six months.

    In the past, the regulatory body for telecommunications had proposed that trials be carried out in a single licensing service area (LSA).

    The Minister of State for Communications, P. Chandra Shekhar, stated in front of Parliament the previous week that the government had taken the required procedures to initiate trials and evaluations for the purpose of establishing the CNAP service by telecommunications companies.

    Experts’ Take on the Situation

    Since there are already sufficient mobile apps that accomplish the goal of knowing the name of the caller in order to make an informed decision about accepting or rejecting a call, experts in the handset sector stated that there is no actual hurry to enforce CNAP without considering ground realities.

    Concerns about consumer data breaches were also raised by business leaders as possible problems with a nationwide mandate for the CNAP service. They claim that some mobile users might be reluctant to provide their identities due to the sensitive nature of mobile subscriber data.

    The telecom regulator Trai has proposed adding the calling entity’s name to the 140-number series that companies and telemarketers use to contact subscribers.

    Additionally, the telecom department has been requested to establish regulations about the necessary evidence that subscriber entities with bulk connections or business connections must give in order to register their desired name with telcos.

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