TRAI

The draft framework seeks board-approved AI policies, risk classification, human oversight and mandatory reporting of serious AI-related incidents by telecom operators across India

India's largest telecom operator Reliance Jio added 27.13 lakh mobile subscribers in September 2026, ahead of Bharti Airtel's 26.92 lakh wireless additions, data released by telecom regulator TRAI on Tuesday showed. The mobile subscriber additions for Vodafone Idea stood at 5.50 lakh in September. With the latest additions, Jio's wireless mobile subscriber tally increased to 51.11 crore at September-end, compared with Airtel's 49.43 crore, and Vodafone Idea's over 20 crore count. State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) added 6.26 lakh mobile subscribers during the month, taking its user base to 9.43 crore, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data. Overall, India's wireless mobile subscriber base increased by 65.74 lakh to almost 130 crore at the end of September, from 129.34 crore in August, registering a monthly growth rate of 0.51 per cent. Jio maintained its lead in the mobile subscriber market with a 39.32 per cent share, followed by Airtel at 38.

Satellite communications in India is on the cusp of major commercial and technological innovation, and has the potential to propel the country to new heights, Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Tuesday. Speaking at the Viasat 'Space for Good' India 2026 challenge, Lahoti said that for India, satellite broadband, cellular backhaul, maritime and aviation connectivity, remote area services, disaster resilience networks - all offer important application areas. "Realising this potential will require affordable user terminals, efficient spectrum use, local manufacturing, and viable commercial models," said the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Lahoti pointed to the private sector's progress, including Skyroot's Vikram-1, which in July 2026 became India's first privately built orbital launch from Indian soil, placing two satellites in low Earth orbit. On regulations, Lahoti said a unified authorisation under the Telecommunications Act 2023 aims at 'one ...

TRAI has proposed an authorisation framework for internet-based TV services that could affect which apps are available on smart TVs

India's CNAP service will display callers' registered names on incoming calls from November 1. Here's how it works and its limits

Digital rating of buildings is crucial as 70-80 per cent of mobile data consumption takes place indoors; platform will help consumers make buying and leasing decisions

Trai's direction will increase teledensity

Trai said in the notification adding this will give low-income consumers more choice to recharge based on their needs and financial capacity

Telecom service providers can levy a termination charge of up to 5 paise on carriers originating undeclared A2P calls, including robocalls and AI-based calls

Telecom regulator TRAI on Friday tightened its framework to curb Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), incorporating artificial intelligence-based detection of suspected spam into its regulations and introducing consumer appeal mechanism. Under the amended regulations, telecom service providers will identify numbers with a high probability of being used for sending spam and share the information among themselves. Where five or more numbers associated with a sender are flagged within 10 days, further investigation and graded action will follow, including KYC re-verification, physical verification, barring of outgoing services and disconnection in cases of repeated violations. TRAI has also defined Application-to-Person or A2P calls as calls initiated by an application, software system or automated platform without direct human dialling, including autodialling, robocalls and pre-recorded or artificial voice technologies. Entities using A2P calls will have to pre-declare their

Telecom regulator asks Vi to check matter internally

COAI and UK government sign MoU to strengthen cooperation on AI, digital connectivity, digital trust and responsible technology-led innovation

Artificial Intelligence can transform how telecom networks are managed and threats detected, but its growing use must be accompanied by safeguards, human oversight, and the ability to intervene where necessary as technology becomes more autonomous, TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Monday. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in communications networks, operators and technology companies need to invest in responsible AI, undertake risk assessments, maintain logs of decisions and test models before deployment, Lahoti said, stressing that high-impact systems should retain human oversight. "AI creates opportunity, but also requires safeguards through the right kind of governance approach," Lahoti said, adding that automation should improve outcomes without obscuring accountability. Human oversight, auditability and the ability to intervene will remain critical even as networks become increasingly autonomous, the top boss of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said. "W

Airtel and Jio have accused Vi of making it harder for customers to port out. The dispute recalls a 2021 row that led Trai to order telcos to enable port-out SMS on all plans

Vi denies wrongdoing, saying it operates within existing laws and regulations; Airtel and Jio allege deceptive solicitation and hurdles to mobile number porting

Today's opinions examine India's trade barriers, satellite spectrum pricing, CEO succession, the liquidity challenge from FCNR(B) inflows and Brics' evolving global role

Govt must clear the way for satellite communication

Ad rates are unlikely to change as increased inventory becomes available; media buyers say the move will help prime-time advertisers and broadcasters during festive season

The six months from February through July mark a sharp reversal for Vi. During the preceding six months, the carrier lost more than 3.6 million customers

The 1601 series will be issued to utilities, courier and logistics providers for transactional and service calls, helping consumers identify legitimate callers