Anil Kumar Lahoti, TRAI meets the press

Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, held a press conference to address questions about ‘Unified Service Authorisation’, which TRAI recently recommended.

The telcos had expressed concern over the regulator’s recent recommendation on a new regime that proposes to allow the provisioning of telecom service using single authorization instead of a license, which was the norm under the old regime.

The chairman defended the regulator’s recommendations:

Telcos can continue to operate under their existing license as long as it is valid. When the license validity expires, they have no option. The renewal will have to be under the new authorization regime.

There is no restriction on telcos. The recommendation says telcos can shift to the new system whenever they want.

The new framework simplifies the rules for providing services at a reduced cost.

Unlike the previous regime, the service providers will need only one authorization for service, and their compliance will be limited to the service they provide.

The regulator has suggested a unified authorization to offer all telecom services, from mobile and internet to international calls and satellite connectivity. If a similar service had to be provided, it would have required 22 licenses for 22 license areas under the current regime. Now it is a single authorization model, and all services can be given. Satellite services are also included.

Under the proposed model, the four large telcos’ advantage is that internal traffic can be routed from anywhere to anywhere based on their network design, which currently has many restrictions.

The proposed model allows telcos to use third-party cloud infrastructure and share resources with other operators without many restrictions.

The proposed changes can benefit the public, particularly in terms of quality of service and competitive tariffs. They will also ensure the availability of telecom services in remote areas and support for emergency services through satellite systems.

For telcos, the simplified authorization regime allows for easier migration of existing service providers and entry of new players. The proposed model enhances the scope of service, reduces cost, offers flexibility, and lowers the entry fee.

On:
In the current licensing regime, telcos have a binding contractual agreement with the government, and they can challenge it in a court of law if the government changes something. In the new regime, telcos would lose that power as the government can change terms and conditions without their consultation. Such apprehensions are not well founded. Even in the existing licensing regime, the final power is with the government to enact any amendments to the terms and conditions. In the new regime, the government will have to make fresh references to TRAI in case of any amendments other than those related to security. Trai will then carry out an open-house discussion on the subject. This is a far more transparent process that will be introduced now.

Satcom services
A consultation paper on pricing for Satellite Spectrum will issued in the next few days. DoT is expected to shortly send the terms of reference for satellite spectrum allocation to Trai, after which the issue will be taken up on a high priority. The consultation paper is set to clarify the methodology of allocation, the frequencies to be used, the pricing of the spectrum, and the terms and conditions to be met by satellite operators concerning national security.

Satcom players will have to seek a new “Satellite-based Telecommunication Service Authorisation” that has been proposed for commercial satellite services, merging the erstwhile VSAT-CUG service and GMPCS licenses, which both Jio and Airtel satellite arms have already secured.

After obtaining government permission, satellite-based telecom providers will also be permitted to use the satellite earth station gateways established in India to service foreign countries.

OTT services
Over-the-top (OTT) services such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram have only been left out of its service authorization recommendations for now. The matter might be discussed separately. TRAI will explore whether OTT apps must be regulated under the Telecommunications Act 2023.
BCS Bureau