COAI Unhappy with Amendments to TCCCP Regulation, 2018

In a note, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has expressed its unhappiness with the recent amendment to the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018. The amendment has been introduced to protect the consumers against the Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC). However, COAI is unhappy because the amendment doesn’t address all the relevant issues. The Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) had put a demand that the amendment should only be released only after the delivery telemarketers (TMs) are brought under regulation to manage unlawful communication.

• Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
• 
• 

Read More – Jio Leads in Download Speeds, Airtel in Uploads: TRAI Study

The industry body which represents telcos such as Airtel, Jio, Vi, and more, highlihted the fact that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has already asked for telecom regulatory’s inputs on authorisation of TMs. COAI had told TRAI that TMs must be brought under the licensing regime, as that would only be the feasible approach to handle UCC. Alongside that, COAI said that the OTT (over-the-top) communication providers have become a major stakholder in messaging. Thus, the OTT platforms should also adhere to a regulatory framework to ensure accountability, believes COAI.

The amendmend doesn’t bring the OTT platforms under regulation, thus it is a concern for COAI. The industry body mentioned that the telcos have already put in efforts from their side and taken steps/measures to reduce spam calls and SMSes.

Read More – Reliance Jio Recharge Plans with JioHotstar Subscription

“We earnestly believe that TRAI should take into consideration our key submission and bring these entities under the ambit of the Regulation, as it would make no sense to regulate one section of the traffic (TSPs) while the other section (OTT Communication Services) has no regulations at all,” said S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI.