Trai

Digital connectivity readiness: Trai proposes 9-level ratings for buildings

Trai proposes expanding digital connectivity ratings to nine levels with half-star tiers, adds design-stage certification for under-construction properties and revises categories for assessment

11,790 MHz telecom spectrum available for auction valued at ₹2.1 trn

The entire 11,790 MHz of spectrum recommended to be put up for auction would be valued at around Rs 2.1 lakh crore at the reserve price if fully taken up, sources said after telecom regulator TRAI's suggestions on the modalities for bidding of radiowaves. Sources further said that overall, the spectrum is 19 per cent cheaper than prices recommended in 2022. According to sources, if the entire spectrum - 11,790 MHz - is assigned in the auction, it would be worth Rs 2.1 lakh crore at the base or reserve price. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday recommended auctioning the entire available radiowave spectrum, while proposing lower entry barriers for new players and a uniform 35 per cent spectrum cap to safeguard competition in the telecom sector. While urging the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to reclaim spectrum held by telecom companies undergoing insolvency, Trai proposed halving the net worth criteria for new entrants from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 cror

Trai seeks FY27 spectrum auctions, urges DoT to reclaim airwaves under IBC

Trai has recommended FY27 spectrum auctions with lower reserve prices, a 35% spectrum cap, incentives for coverage deployment and retrieval of airwaves from firms under insolvency

Let telecom firms deploy their network, DoT tells Navi Mumbai airport

DoT has classified Navi Mumbai International Airport as a public entity under the Telecommunications Act and directed it to provide telcos fair, transparent Right of Way access for network rollout

Anti spam regulation: 'Trai examining telco responses on penalties'

Regulator reviewing show-cause replies on anti-spam violations; timeline for Digital Consent Acquisition platform to be finalised within a month

Trai revamps DND, MySpeed apps after 10 years to improve service quality

Regulator to launch revamped MyCall app by March to improve quality of service and curb spam, as updated DND and MySpeed apps offer multilingual support and easier complaints

Trai's exclusive numbering mandate raises concern on debt collection

TRAI's 1600-number mandate to curb fraud may raise lenders' collection costs and push NBFCs and banks back towards field-based debt recovery

Trai probes telcos' pricing issue over network setup at Navi Mumbai airport

Regulator Trai is examining the pricing issue that telecom operators are facing for deploying network in and around Adani Group-backed Navi Mumbai International Airport, a top official said on Wednesday. Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said industry body COAI has approached it for intervention, and the regulator has sought more details around the price that telecom operators have paid in the past for setting up networks. "The letter that COAI has written has raised four issues. Three of those pertain to right-of-way. There is one issue regarding the pricing. We have asked for certain details from COAI regarding how they have entered into agreements in the past. We will study those, and then we will take further action," Lahoti said. He said that the Telecom Regulator Authority of India will not require any specific reference from the government, and it can suo-moto proceed on the matter based on reference received from the Cellular Operators Association of India. Right-of-way (RoW)

Trai's number mandate for debt collection may have unintended consequences

Trai's move to shift debt collection calls to the 1600 series aims to curb fraud, but lenders warn it could force greater reliance on physical recovery methods

AI regulation in India should follow risk-based approach: Trai chairman

Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said India should adopt a risk-based approach to AI regulation, with oversight limited to high-risk use cases while low-risk applications remain under self-regulation

Telcos seek pricing cap on in-building network infra at public places

COAI has asked the regulator to examine NMIAL's conduct on RoW denial and seek a cost-based pricing framework, including ceilings, for in-building telecom infrastructure at airports and similar public

AI infra must be resilient, self-regulated to manage risks: Trai chief

Trai Chairperson Anil Kumar Lahoti on Monday pitched for resilient AI infrastructure and strong self-regulation to proactively mitigate risks and ensure that systems remain secure, accountable and adaptable to disruptions. Addressing a Nasscom pre-summit event for the upcoming AI Impact Summit, Lahoti said the design and rollout of AI infrastructure will decide if the technology's advantages stay limited to a few or get distributed broadly across regions and sectors. "...another important facet is maintaining resiliency within AI infrastructure, this involves establishing safeguards and frameworks that ensure AI systems remain capable of adapting to disruptions and are also reliable, secure and accountable while continuing to serve public and economic objectives...from a regulatory perspective, robust self-regulation is important in this sector as it will enable the industry to proactively address the risks of AI through voluntary commitments and self-certification," Lahoti ...

NHAI reaches out to DoT, Trai to improve mobile connectivity on highways

State-owned NHAI on Tuesday said it has sought urgent intervention from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai to improve mobile network connectivity on National Highways. NHAI in a statement said as part of a comprehensive assessment undertaken by the state-owned agency, 424 locations covering about 1,750 km across the National Highway network have been identified as critically affected due to non-availability of the mobile network connectivity. "Identifying critical mobile network connectivity issues across several stretches of National Highways, NHAI has sought the intervention of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to issue appropriate directions to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for addressing non-availability of the mobile network connectivity on several stretches of National Highways, particularly on greenfield and remote sections," it said. Emphasising public safety implications and the strategic ...

Telecom industry wants another technology evaluation of D2M broadcasting

Telecom players have claimed that D2M broadcasting has direct implications for spectrum bands identified for existing and future 5G use

Trai slaps ₹150 crore penalty on telcos for failing to curb spam calls

The telecom regulator Trai has imposed a penalty of Rs 150 crore on telecom operators for their failure to curb spam calls and messages, according to an official source. The Rs 150 crore penalty imposed for three years beginning 2020, however, has been challenged by telecom operators. "Financial disincentives of more than Rs 150 crore have been imposed on the telecom service providers for wrong closure of customer complaints and not taking action on telecom connections of spammers in accordance with regulations," the source said. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) imposes penalties on telecom operators who fail to comply with regulations that impose financial disincentives. The regulations provide for a financial disincentive of up to Rs 50 lakh per month per licensed Service Area for a telecom operator. "It is important to note that the financial disincentives are imposed on TSPs (telecom service providers) not because someone has sent through their network, but bec

In the upcoming auctions, telcos seek spectrum locked in insolvency

In representations to the regulator, Bharti Airtel has noted that if included, the airwaves would enable telcos to use the spectrum more efficiently and may provide revenue to the exchequer

Trai mandates 1600 series for insurance service calls by Feb 15, 2026

Trai has asked insurance-sector entities regulated by IRDAI to move service and transactional calls to 1600-series numbers by February 15, 2026, to curb spam and fraud

Trai-RBI launch pilot to let users manage legacy promo consents; curb spam

Trai and RBI will begin a pilot with telcos and 11 banks to let select users digitally view, modify or revoke legacy consents for promotional communications via SMS sent from the short code 127000

Trai rejects DoT view on hike in satcom annual spectrum charge to 5%

Govt to study the regulator's response before issuing final guidelines

Trai rejects DoT push for 5% satcom fee, keeps ₹500 charge for urban users

Telecom regulator Trai on Monday rejected the Department of Telecom's view, suggesting a 5 per cent annual spectrum fee to be charged from satcom (satellite communications) players instead of 4 per cent, and let go of a Rs 500 fee per connection in urban areas. The Department of Telecom (DoT) sought some changes in the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on satellite communications spectrum allocation methodology and charges for companies such as Elon Musk-led Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, and Jio SES that are in fray to start their services in the country. The DoT had asked Trai to reconsider its recommendation to levy a 4 per cent annual spectrum charge, and instead consider the idea of levying a 5 per cent annual spectrum charge with a provision of 1 per cent discount if 5 per cent customers of the company enrolled in a year are from tough terrains in border and remote hilly area, and let go Rs 500 per customer charge if they meet th