Trai extends date for receiving comments on internet speed

The regulator has extended the last date to May 19

Sectoral regulator Trai has extended the last date to May 19 for receiving comments on a consultation paper for fixing minimum download speed for telecom operators to deliver wireless data services.

The wireless data services include mobile internet and broadband services like 2G, 3G and those offered using dongles.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had said in the paper that the minimum download speed for 3G and CDMA EVDO service should be 1 megabit per second with 95% success rate. For GSM and CDMA 2G the minimum speed should be at 56 kilobit per second. It has prescribed CDMA high speed data at 512 kbps.

Trai had sought public views on the consultation by May 5 and counter comments on it by May 12.

"Requests have been received from stakeholders for extension of time for sending their comments. In view of the importance of the issue, the Authority has decided to extend the last date for submission of written comments up to May 19, 2014 and counter-comments by May 26," Trai said in a statement.

At present, there is no binding regulation on telecom operators to deliver wireless service at a particular minimum speed.

"The Authority has been receiving a number of complaints from consumers regarding the poor download speed experienced by them. The Authority after examining the issue felt that there is now a need to mandate the 'minimum download speed' for the wireless data services," Trai had said in the consultation paper.

3G operators promise mobile Internet speed in the range of 7.1 megabit per second (mbps) to 21 mbps. At 7.1 mbps speed, a mobile user should be able to download a full-length movie in around 12-14 minutes.

The minimum speed reported by operators to Trai lies in the range of 399 kbps (minimum broadband speed is 512 kbps) to 2.48 mbps.