Trai

Priority postpaid plans compliant with net-neutrality norms: Airtel

The telecom operator told the government its priority postpaid plans are compliant with TRAI and DoT norms and do not degrade service quality for prepaid users

'Does not breach net neutrality': Airtel defends Priority Postpaid service

Bharti Airtel has defended its new "Priority Postpaid" service before a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) panel, asserting that the offering, powered by 5G network slicing, neither violates net neutrality norms nor degrades service quality for prepaid users. According to the submission made by Airtel in response to a clarification sought by the Committee on Communications and Information Technology, the company said not allowing the use of mainstream features of 5G to offer services will jeopardise the potential of 6G in the country. "Priority Postpaid is implemented in a content-neutral manner and is fully consistent with the existing TRAI and DoT framework. There is no blocking, throttling, content-specific prioritisation, zero-rating, or preferential treatment of any application," Airtel said. Airtel had launched "Priority Postpaid" plans on May 19, which promise consistent speed even in crowded markets for postpaid customers. "Airtel Priority feature does not degrade the .

Bharti Airtel upgrades postpaid customers to priority with 5G slicing

Move to create competition for high value postpaid customer base; net neutrality norms may come into question

India's D2D ambitions depend on hardware and global standards: Explained

India's plans for satellite-to-smartphone connectivity face a reality check, with Apple and Google reportedly flagging hardware constraints, spectrum policy challenges, and the need for globally align

Trai proposes penalties for telecom firms over complaint redressal lapses

Trai has proposed penalties on telecom operators for improper complaint handling, delayed reporting and non-compliance with revised grievance redressal rules

Best of BS Opinion: Credit guarantee scheme will help small businesses

Today's opinion wrap explores the economic fallout of the West Asia conflict, digital governance reforms, telecom disaster preparedness and the growing role of AI in policymaking

Trai's long tryst with emergency calls still remains a work in progress

This historical context is worth recalling amid the overwhelming response to the government's latest mobile siren experiment as a disaster management measure

Trai begins talk on vehicle-to-everything connectivity to boost road safety

Regulator seeks stakeholder views on spectrum use for V2X networks aimed at improving road safety, reducing accidents, and enabling intelligent transport systems

Can public WiFi expansion in India survive the era of cheap mobile data?

Despite PM-WANI's push, India's public WiFi expansion faces weak business models and poor infrastructure, raising questions over its long-term digital relevance

'Judicial overreach': IAMAI opposes Trai's proposal to regulate OTTs

Industry body raises concerns over regulatory overreach, data-sharing mandates and impact on safe harbour protections under draft telecom rules

JioStar moves Bombay High Court against CCI order in broadcast dispute

JioStar moves Bombay High Court, challenging CCI's jurisdiction in Asianet dispute, arguing the matter falls under TRAI's regulatory domain

Telcos, ISPs want property managers to bear connectivity infra costs

Telecom firms and ISPs have urged Trai to place responsibility for digital connectivity costs and building ratings on property managers, not service providers

Call for a basic plan: Telcos must also offer non-data plans for users

Trai pushes telcos to offer cheaper voice-SMS plans, aiming to improve affordability and digital inclusion amid rising concerns over pricing and limited competition

Trai seeks views on satellite network-as-a-service, spectrum norms

Regulator seeks stakeholder inputs on spectrum assignment, charges and D2D services under satellite network-as-a-service model

Trai proposes short-validity voice-SMS-only tariff packs with lower prices

Draft amendment seeks equal validity for voice-SMS and bundled STVs, with proportionately lower pricing to ensure fair, non-discriminatory choices for consumers who do not use data

Trai asks Jio to end 'discriminatory' tariff plans, sets April 14 deadline

The telecom regulator has asked the Reliance group firm to make all tariff plans uniformly available across platforms to ensure transparency and consumer choice

Trai imposes graded penalties for failure to file tariffs in time

Trai tightens compliance norms with graded penalties and interest for delays in tariff reporting by telecom service providers

AI now core to telecom networks design, management, says Trai chief

Artificial Intelligence is no longer peripheral to telecom, and is becoming integral to how networks are designed, managed, and experienced, Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said on Monday. AI is already enabling self-optimising networks, predictive maintenance, intelligent spectrum management, enhanced cybersecurity, improved energy efficiency, and better customer experience, he noted. "India is undergoing one of the fastest digital transformations in the world. Telecommunication and digital technologies are now core infrastructure for economic growth, governance, and social inclusion," Lahoti said, speaking at a session of the 33rd Convergence India & 11th Smart Future Cities India Expo. At the end of 2025, data subscribers in India crossed one billion mark, with 5G contributing around 400 million. The total wireless data usage was around 25 million terabytes, with 5G contributing over 10 million terabytes. "This is the size of digital ..

Trai proposes lower threshold for action on spam flagged by telcos' AI

Regulator proposes lowering complaint threshold for action on AI-flagged spam and seeks compliance with spam regulations from call management apps and phone diallers

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