In Short:
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a consultation paper regarding the Terms and Conditions for network authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, published on October 22, 2024. Following a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), TRAI is seeking feedback on various issues, including the merging of current authorisations for Infrastructure Provider-I and Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider, and the creation of new authorisations for in-building solutions. Stakeholders are invited to submit their comments by November 12, 2024, and counter comments by November 19, 2024, via TRAI’s website.
New Guidelines for Telecom Network Authorisations: TRAI Seeks Your Input!
On October 22, 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) unveiled an insightful consultation paper outlining the ‘Terms and Conditions of Network Authorisations’ to be granted under the groundbreaking Telecommunications Act, 2023.
What’s Behind This Initiative?
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) informed TRAI through a letter dated July 26, 2024, that the much-anticipated Telecommunications Act, 2023 is now official, having been published in the government gazette. This act necessitates that anyone looking to establish, operate, maintain, or expand a telecommunications network must obtain authorisation, which comes with certain terms, conditions, and approved fees. Following this, the DoT formally requested TRAI to recommend suitable terms and conditions concerning these authorisations.
Seeking Your Opinions!
Just recently, in another letter dated October 17, 2024, the DoT invited TRAI to consider authorisation for satellite communication networks under Section 3(1)(b) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. In light of this, TRAI is now asking for valuable input from stakeholders on several pivotal issues raised in the consultation paper.
Key Questions on the Table
Some of the significant matters up for discussion include:
- Should the authorisation scopes of the current Infrastructure Provider-I (IP-I) and Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider (DCIP) be merged under a single authorisation?
- What telecommunication equipment should fall under the ‘in-building solution’ (IBS) category? Is there a need for a new authorisation for property managers to implement IBS within their premises?
- Do we need to adjust the eligibility criteria, operational areas, validity periods, and overall conditions for content delivery network (CDN) authorisations?
- What should be the terms for authorisation related to Mobile Number Portability Service under the new act?
How to Participate
TRAI has made the consultation paper available on its website and is encouraging everyone involved to share their insights. Written comments are welcome until November 12, 2024, followed by counter-comments, which are due by November 19, 2024.
Your voice matters, so get involved and help shape the future of telecommunications in India!
