Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime

Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime

SUMMARY

In TRAI’s latest recommendations on the “Framework for Service Authorisations to be Granted Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023”, there was no mention of online messaging apps

With this, the regulator has more or less heeded the demand of digital advocacy groups to keep OTT apps outside the ambit of Act

In a paper released in July, TRAI sought feedback on the identification of a regulatory mechanism to cover OTT apps and examine issues related to selective banning of such apps

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has excluded over-the-top (OTT) communication apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal from its latest recommendations on licencing regime, which were released on September 18.

In TRAI’s latest recommendations on the “Framework for Service Authorisations to be Granted Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023”, there was no mention of online messaging apps. 

With this, the regulator has more or less heeded the demand of digital advocacy groups to keep OTT apps outside the ambit of Act. Both telecom operators and OTT apps have been at odds with each other as the former have been pitching for bringing such apps under a licencing regime. 

In its report, TRAI recommended a complete overhaul of the licencing and suggested a unified authorisation for offering all kinds of telecom services. It proposed three broad categories of telecommunication service authorisations namely main service, auxiliary and captive.

Another key takeaway from the report was that the telecom regulator proposed clubbing the scopes of existing Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) and VSAT-CUG (very small aperture terminal-closed user group) licencing regimes into a single “Satellite-based Telecommunication Service Authorisation” regime. 

“… The extant restriction on VSAT operators to provide services to only CUG has been removed under the new authorisation framework. Both VSAT based FSS and GMPCS service have been included under the scope of Satellite-based Telecommunication Service Authorisation,” said an official statement. 

The recommendations come two months after TRAI, in July, floated a consultation paper and sought comments and counter-comments on the “Framework for the Service Authorisations to be Granted Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023”.

In response, 48 stakeholders submitted their comments while 17 entities furnished counter comments. The regulator also conducted an open house discussion and virtually sought inputs on the paper. 

The paper sought feedback on the identification of a regulatory mechanism to cover OTT communication apps. It also sought to examine issues related to selective banning of apps such as Meta-owned WhatsApp, Telegram and Google Meet, as well as lawful interception of messages by authorities.

The paper also sought responses on questions about whether there was a need for a collaborative framework between OTT apps and licensed telcos and the potential challenges that may arise out of such a framework and its impact on net neutrality.

In their responses, telecom operators overwhelmingly called for bringing OTT apps under regulatory framework, with Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) saying that such platforms should pay a network usage charge to the telecom operators. 

Opposing this demand, the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) called the revenue sharing plan a ‘death knell’ for the country’s digital economy. Other digital activists too warned authorities against any such move, saying that it would have an adverse impact on India’s digital economy.

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime-Inc42 Media
Despite Telcos Inclusion Push, TRAI Excludes WhatsApp, Telegram & Signal From New Licencing Regime-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company