Trai

Trai looking into Airtel, Jio complaints against Vi over malpractices

Airtel and Jio have alleged that Vi used misleading calls, restricted porting-code SMSes and discounted plans to acquire customers through mobile number portability

AI offers opportunity but needs safeguards, right governance: Trai chief

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, Jio accuse Vi of blocking mobile number porting: What do rules say?

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

Airtel, Jio allege unfair practices by Vi, seek intervention from Trai

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

Best of BS Opinion: India must address trade barriers, open up for business

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

A new wave

Govt must clear the way for satellite communication

Trai repeals regulations imposing 12-minute advertising cap on TV

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

Vodafone Idea's customer tide turns after long slump: Trai data

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

Trai directs utilities, courier and logistics providers to use 1601 series

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

Different prices for 4G & 5G? TRAI proposes 5G network slicing: What is it?

India's telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), has proposed new quality of service rules to support 5G network slicing, a technology that creates dedicated.

Why Trai's draft network slicing norms have revived net neutrality debate

Trai has proposed norms for 5G network slicing. Its draft has revived questions over whether differentiated services can coexist with India's net neutrality framework

Trai puts quality of service for 5G network slicing under scrutiny

Draft norms mandate 21-day prior notice for new network slices, each with separate service quality standards

1.48 bn promotional 140-series calls blocked after DND checks in Q1: Trai

Nearly 13.16 billion promotional calls originated via the dedicated 140 series between April and June of 2026, a TRAI report said on Tuesday, adding 1.48 billion calls were blocked after verification with registered do-not-disturb preferences of the customers. As per the quarterly report listing out the action against Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) during Q1 FY27, the commercial SMS originating from registered senders/telemarketers stood at about 248.06 billion. The promotional SMS blocked after verification with registered DND preferences of the customers stood at 7.30 billion. According to the TRAI report, as many as 1.15 billion calls originated from 1600 dedicated series numbers, during Q1 FY 2026-27. TRAI introduced the designated 140 series for promotional calls to ensure that such calls originate from a dedicated numbering series, enabling consumers to easily identify and manage such calls. The designated series enables the consumer to exercise the choice of ...

Trai launches revamped version of MyCall app to improve call quality

The upgraded MyCall app allows users to rate voice calls, report call drops and share post-call feedback, helping telecom operators and Trai identify network issues and improve services

Telecom subscriber base rises to 1.3 bn in June, Airtel leads growth: Trai

Telecom subscriber base in the country increased marginally to 134.8 crore in June, driven by net addition of subscribers on the networks of Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday. Bharti Airtel led subscriber growth during the month, adding 31.63 lakh users compared with May. The additions included 29.89 lakh mobile subscribers and 1.73 lakh fixed-line connections. It was followed by Reliance Jio which reported a net addition of 22.91 lakh subscribers, comprising 21.46 lakh in mobile segment and 1.44 lakh in fixed line segment. Together, the two private telecom operators accounted for 54.54 lakh, or about 87 per cent, of the total net addition of 62 lakh subscribers in June. "The number of total telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,343.1 million at the end of May 2026 to 1,348.08 million at the end of June 2026, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.37 per cent," sector regulator TRA

Truecaller joins GSMA days after Trai standoff over spam call warnings

Swedish call-screening app says GSMA membership reflects its expanding role in mobile security and caller identity as it seeks closer collaboration with operators and regulators

Show DND choice to users, not frequently blocked label: Trai to Truecaller

TRAI has objections to Truecaller displaying a 'frequently blocked' badge within the dedicated number series, with a senior regulatory official saying that such tagging is "not advisable" as it tends to misguide and confuse telecom consumers, creating unwarranted suspicion about calls from 1600 and 140 categories that otherwise fall under the regulated framework. Instead, the regulator believes that Truecaller should display a label informing users that they can "exercise their choice" to block unwanted communication from the 140 series through TRAI's official Do Not Disturb (DND) preference management app. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) official, the solution lies in creating further awareness and outreach around the DND, to educate people about the choices they have. TRAI has mandated the use of 1600 series numbers for service and transaction calls by regulated banking, financial services and insurance or BFSI entities, and government-to-citizen ...

Arpu convergence belies a persistent prepaid-postpaid tariff divergence

India's prepaid ARPU has overtaken postpaid for the first time, but experts say tariff gaps will persist as M2M users and premium postpaid benefits reshape the market

Can DTH pay channels be offered free on TV apps? Draft rules spark debate

Draft broadcasting rules have revived a dispute over whether apps streaming scheduled TV channels should follow the same pricing, licensing and consumer protection norms as DTH and cable operators

Truecaller committed to working with Trai, Meity, DoT on spam issue: CEO

He added that constructive engagement with the authorities remains central to the company's approach