MANU/TRAI/0060/2021

Department/Board : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Press Release No. : 58/2021

Date : 16.12.2021

TRAI releases Consultation Paper on 'Regulatory Framework for Promoting Data Economy Through Establishment of Data Centres, Content Delivery Networks, and Interconnect Exchanges in India'

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today issued the Consultation Paper on 'Regulatory Framework for Promoting Data Economy Through Establishment of Data Centres, Content Delivery Networks, and Interconnect Exchanges in India'.

2. Digital infrastructure is boosting the data economy, and the services are fast moving beyond the traditional telecom services domain. The key contemporary infrastructure that is required to boost the digital ecosystem and facilities include Data Centres, Content Delivery Networks and Internet Exchange Points.

3. National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP)-2018 also emphasizes that "Digital infrastructure and services are increasingly emerging as key enablers and critical determinants of a country's growth and well-being". To achieve the stated mission, NDCP-2018 lists out various strategies. Evolving enabling regulatory frameworks and incentives for promoting the establishment of International Data Centres, Content Delivery Networks, and Independent Interconnect exchanges in India is one such strategy that has been spelt out in NDCP-2018 for establishing India as a global hub for cloud computing, content hosting and delivery, and data communication systems and services. Accordingly, this Consultation Paper (CP) has been initiated suo-moto by the Authority to seek the inputs of stakeholders on regulatory framework for promoting the establishment of (i) Data Centres, (ii) Content Delivery Networks, and (iii) Internet Exchange Points in the country.

4. The Consultation Paper has been placed on TRAI's website. Written comments on the Consultation Paper are invited from the stakeholders by 13th January 2022 and counter-comments, if any, by 27th January 2022.

5. The comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form at advbbpa@trai.gov.in with a copy to jtadvbbpa-1@trai.gov.in and jtadvbbpa-3@trai.gov.in respectively. For any clarification / information, Shri Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Advisor (Broadband and Policy Analysis), TRAI may be contacted at Telephone Number Tel. No. +91-11-23236119.

(V. Raghunandan)
Secretary, TRAI