The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published a Consultation Paper addressing the regulatory mechanism for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services and the selective banning of specific OTT services. This move comes in response to a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to reassess the existing recommendations and propose a suitable regulatory framework for OTTs.
Also Read: TRAI Issues Recommendations on Submarine Cable Landing Licensing Framework in India
Purpose of the Consultation Paper
The DoT emphasized the need to comprehensively examine various aspects of OTT services, including regulatory, economic, security, privacy, and safety concerns. With the rapid growth and maturity of OTT services, a holistic approach is required to address the challenges they present. The National Digital Communications Policy - 2018 also emphasizes the importance of developing a policy framework for OTT services.
Also Read: TRAI Directs Telcos to Report Major Network Outages at District Level
Acknowledging the need for further deliberation, TRAI concurred with the DoT's request and initiated a fresh consultation process to establish an appropriate regulatory framework for OTT services. As part of this process, TRAI has released a Consultation Paper on its official website on Friday, seeking inputs and comments from stakeholders.
The Consultation Paper aims to gather perspectives and insights from industry players, experts, and the public on various aspects of OTT services, including their regulation and the selective banning of certain services.
Also Read: TRAI Mandates AI, ML Based System to Tackle Unsolicited Commercial Communication
Key Areas of Focus
TRAI is particularly interested in understanding the definition, classification, and categorization of over-the-top (OTT) services, as well as the definition and features of OTT communication services.
Additionally, TRAI aims to explore the classification of OTT communication services, the comparison between OTT communication services and licensed telecommunication services, and the necessity of implementing a licensing/regulatory framework for OTT communication services to promote a competitive landscape.
Furthermore, TRAI seeks to evaluate the need for a collaborative framework between OTT communication service providers and licensed telecommunication service providers, along with issues related to selective banning. The consultation paper includes a total of 14 questions addressing these aspects.
