Telecom Players Urge TRAI To Bring WhatsApp, Signal & Telegram Under Licence

Telecom operators have reportedly urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to bring call and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram under the new Telecommunication Act’s licencing framework.

As per ET’s report, telecom operators such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea besides, industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) have said that calling and messaging apps should be brought under services to be provided through authorisation.

This comes at a time when TRAI revealed the challenges faced by the body to execute its plan for compulsory name display on incoming calls is delayed due to tech-related hurdles.

“As per our understanding, OTT Communication services are covered under the new Telecom Act as an access service,” the report quoted COAI as saying.

“In order to ensure the same rules for the same or similar services, it is important to bring such OTT communication service providers under Access Services authorisation,” Reliance Jio said.

Meanwhile, Airtel said in a statement that licence conditions keep a check on traditional telecom services by law enforcement agencies, which isn’t the case for OTT communications services, as it continues to be unmonitored – hindering the processes of law enforcement and crime prevention, based on the news report.

Earlier in May, TRAI was in plans to hold open house discussions to formulate a regulatory framework to oversee over-the-top (OTT) communication services that are not covered under the ambit of the Telecom Act, 2023.

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