Telecom regulator TRAI on Friday dismissed GSM operators' charges that its recommendation to revise 2G spectrum prices will hit them hard and said they (telcos) were looking at the issue from a narrow perspective.
In a major relief for business houses, telecom sector regulator Trai on Wednesday exempted messages generated by and sent to automated technical systems from the 200 SMS per sim cap imposed to curb pesky telemarketers.
Trai said the reports that compensation was not feasible were based on wrong inputs.
A total of 25 new pay channels have hit the Indian TV screens since December 26, 2003, according to figures released by the broadcast regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
Under the previous quality of service rules, penalty on call drop was Rs 100,000 per violation and could go up to Rs 200,000 in case of third subsequent violation.
As per the Trai recommendations, the STD service providers would be connected to ISPs through public internet for the purpose and the two service providers would have mutual agreement for the same. The move will permit calls from personal computers to fixed line and mobile phones. Currently, a voice call can travel between two computers but not from a mobile or a fixed phone.
The continued growth in the communications sector, especially mobile subscriber base, is expected to push further the level of energy consumption by networks, Trai said while releasing a consultation paper 'Green Telecommunications'.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is working on a consultation paper on digitalisation of television broadcasting in the country, which is expected tobe submitted to the government next month.
The telecom regulator had suggested imposition of a price on operators for holding spectrum beyond the contracted limit of 6.2MHz.
Concerned over poor track record of Internet service providers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommended on Thursday lowering of foreign direct investment on par with telecom sector at 74 per cent from the existing 100 per cent.
All the accused, including the three telecom firms and their promoters, proprietors and top executives, moved the court of Special CBI Judge O P Saini seeking direction to the investigating agency to file the TRAI report, which has said there was no loss to the exchequer in allocation of 2G spectrum.
TRAI said it will hold an open house discussion regarding the paper on October 1.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is recommending the cancellation of sports broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports' downlinking licence for non-compliance with the DTH platform's pricing formula.TRAI's proposed action follows its direction and a show cause notice to ESPN Software India in the last two months asking it to fall in line with its DTH pricing formula.
TDSAT Chairperson Justice Arun Kumar directed the Trai and MSOs -- Hathway Cable and Indusind Media, who were later impleaded as parties, to file their replies by December 3 and counter affidavit by the leading broadcasters - Zee Turner, Set Discovery and Star India by December 10.
At Rs 2,685 crore for 1MHz pan-Indian spectrum, reserve price would be 52% higher than that of 1,800MHz band
In a development that may help jailed former Telecom Minister's A Raja's defence in court, the telecom regulator has informed the CBI that Trai did not recommend the auction of 2G spectrum in 2007, implying that there was no loss to the exchequer in the award of licences.
Broadcast regulator TRAI on Monday asked the government to defer the controversial conditional access system for at least another three months, maintaining that this suggestion does not in any way contravene the high court order on the issue.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday said it would come out with the final consultation paper on full unification of telecom services in a "couple of weeks."
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday hit out at cellular operators' reported move to sue it over unified licencing regime saying countries worldwide were moving towards the same.
In separate petitions filed at the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, ESPN Software India, MSM Discovery, Zee Turner and Star Den Media Services said the tariff suggested by the sectoral regulator was not commercially viable.
TRAI on Tuesday met key telecom operators including the Tatas, Reliance, and Shyam Telecom, besides BSNL and MTNL, to work out an interim arrangement regarding the interconnection usage charge till its review process was over.
Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) stating that a recent complaint against it by Bharti Airtel is a deliberate, malicious attempt at defaming RJIL's consumer-friendly tariff. RJIL has also asked the regulator to warn Airtel against 'making such frivolous complaints in the future'. The move is in response to Airtel recently requesting Trai to bring content aired through broadband under the regulatory fold and keep a check against discriminatory bundling tactics.
Amidst complaints of misleading advertising campaigns, some of the leading telecom service providers have been sent notices by Trai to explain within three days as to why they were not complying with the guidelines on tariff publications.
Trai chairman Rajiv Khullar says, India has to pull up its stocks in order to achieve financial inclusion.
After lifetime validity plans, differential tariffs have come under the scrutiny of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, which is planning to formulate policies to check discrimination in such tariffs
Its says reconsider lower reserve price, uniform usage charges; GSM players to bear the brunt.
Trai also recommended allocation of 3G spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band through auction in tranches of 2x5 MHz. And if this spectrum band was not adopted, it would be possible to provide spectrum only to two to three operators, apart from state-owned companies (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Mahanagr Telephone Nigam Limited).
Telecom companies as well as the regulator have been of the view that the auction should take place only when adequate spectrum is made available, and the bidding should be held simultaneously for both the services -- 2G and 3G.
GSM operators on Monday stepped up pressure against the regulator's 2G recommendations, with Idea Cellular writing to the DoT and officials of Vodafone Essar calling on TRAI chief J S Sarma to convey their objections to the spectrum proposals.
On the heels of a highly successful 3G spectrum auction, the telecom regulator Trai on Thursday said it plans to bring out the recommendations on the fourth generation (4G) technology or ultra-broadband by the end of the year.
Telecom regulator Trai has initiated action against cellular operators including Bharti, Idea and Hutchison for defying its order on selective blocking of calls originating and terminating in some basic service operators' networks.
Amid hue and cry by mobile operators about paying heavily for excess spectrum that would impact their profitability, telecom regulator TRAI on Friday said that outgo would be small and would not impact their operating profits.
The government plans to remove the definition of broadcasting services altogether from the bill to help reduce confusion among stakeholders.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is understood to have taken a decision to recommend auction of spectrum for the launch of next generation (3G) mobile services.
Says recommendations not in line with court order; move follows Telenor threat to quit India.
Throwing the ball back in the government's court, TRAI on Friday favoured status quo on the existing cable set-up across the country, including tariffs.
The telcos have been offering 3G services through roaming agreements among themselves.
