Trai website down after uploading 1 mn comments on net neutrality

Telcos call for licensing regime for OTT players

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) website was down hours after it uploaded about one million comments on net neutrality that it had received, along with the senders’ names and email IDs, on Monday.

Trai’s action of making public the names and email IDs of those who had submitted their comments on net neutrality was criticised on the social media.

The last day for submitting comments on Trai’s consultation process on regulation for Over The Top (OTT) services was on Friday. The comments were uploaded on the site on Monday.

The regulator divided the comments under three categories — from service providers, from service providers’ associations and from other stakeholders.

The telecom regulator drew the ire of people for breaching their privacy.

In their submissions, telecom players have proposed a licensing regime for OTT players such as WhatsApp and Skype, a view opposed by internet firms and associations.

Telecom operators said they should be allowed to offer services based on mutual agreements with the OTT players. "There is a pressing need to find a fair regulatory and commercial solution especially for VoIP (voice over internet protocol) telephony services, which if not addressed could endanger the entire Digital India programme of the Government," Vodafone India said in its comments.

According to Vodafone, telecos should be free to pursue commercial agreements, offering consumers new content and services underpinned by new business models. "This should include the option to pursue two-way charging models under which operators and content providers implement bilateral agreements for the benefit of consumers," it added.

According to India's largest telecom player Bharti Airtel, while telecom service providers are subject to many regulatory and licensing requirements - payment of licence fee, taxes, security conditions, etc "OTT communication service providers have no such obligations".

Idea also said there should be "same service, same rules", so that all stakeholders are bound to offer the same services under the same regulations and none gets an undue advantage.

Internet Service Providers Association of India echoed the demand for same service same rules.

The National Association of Software and Services Companies said the Information Technology Act is mandated to ensure this and believe there is no need for any additional regulations for content and services. "Internet platforms and services communications do not require licensing. There are user-led evaluation reports that help consumers make an informed choice as they adopt internet platforms and services," it said.

According to Internet & Mobile Association of India, innovations of VoIP and text apps have not affected the telecom players' financial stability. "Indicators of revenues from regulatory filings, earning calls of telecom companies and public statements clearly indicate that data is driving telecom growth," it said.