TRAI Releases Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for OTT Services and Selective Banning

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.

• Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
• 
• 

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