MANU/TRAI/0095/2017

Department/Board : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Press Release No. : 89/2017

Date : 24.10.2017

TRAI releases Recommendations on "Regulatory framework for Internet Telephony"

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released its Recommendations on "Regulatory framework for Internet Telephony".

2. The present Licensing framework permits Basic Service licensee, Unified Access Service Licensee (UASL), Cellular Mobile Telecom Service (CMTS) licensee and Unified Licensee (access service authorisation) to provide unrestricted Internet Telephony. These licences further permit that while providing Internet Telephony service, the licensee may interconnect Internet Telephony network with PSTN/PLMN/GMPCS network. Despite the fact that these licences were allowed to provide unrestricted Internet Telephony, the service did not take off in the country.

3. Some important issues, in providing Internet Telephony Service, are allocation of numbering resources, Interconnection, Interconnection Usage charges, Quality of Service and Access to Emergency services.

4. In order to address the concerns of the stakeholders, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has suo-motu issued a Consultation paper on 'Internet Telephony (VoIP)' on 22.06.2016. The Consultation paper invited comments and counter comments from stakeholders on many of the important issues in respect of Internet Telephony. Written comments and counter comments on the Consultation paper were invited from the stakeholders. Subsequently, a letter dated 22.12.2016 was received from DoT with a request to expeditiously submit the recommendations on Internet Telephony. An Open House Discussion was also held on 12.01.2017. The Authority after carefully examining various issues emanating from the written submissions of the stakeholders, in-house analysis & research arrived at its recommendations.

5. The salient features of the recommendations are:

i. As per Authority's understanding of present Access service licences, Internet Telephony service is un-tethered from the underlying access Network. In other words, Internet Telephony Service can be provided by Access service provider to its subscriber who may be using Internet of other Access service providers. DoT should issue a clarification to the effect. If DoT has a different understanding, the Authority recommends that the DoT may issue amendment to Access service licences so that Internet Telephony service is un-tethered from the underlying access Network.

ii. T........