Telcos Oppose Cheap Domestic Net Calls For Isps

[Honest 836]

Telcos oppose cheap domestic Net calls for ISPs

18 Jun, 2008, 0000 hrs IST

NEW DELHI: GSM and CDMA operators have opposed allowing internet service providers (ISPs) to offer cheap PC-to-phone calls in India unless they acquire licences, pay entry fee and be subjected to the same levies as telcos. Firms such as Google, Microsoft and consumer rights organisations have supported the ISP Association of India (ISPAI) in its stand that ISPs be allowed to offer such services while paying a termination fee to telecom operators.

Trai had issued a consultation paper on whether ISPs should be allowed to offer PC-to-phone calls within India and asked for comments from stakeholders in May. Currently, a subscriber can dial a phone abroad from a PC using internet telephony but can’t use the same technology to make a domestic phone call.

This is because ISPs are not allowed to have interconnection with PSTN/PLMN (landline/mobile) network.

In its response to a Trai consultation paper, GSM operators’ association, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI), said, “If ISPs are allowed to provide internet telephony services to PSTN/PLMN, they de facto become access providers and would necessarily have to acquire a UAS licence in order to ensure level-playing field.” It said that ISPs should be subject to the same entry fee, licence fee, revenue share and other terms and conditions as applicable to existing licensees.

It suggested that ambiguities related to clarity on the definition and scope of the service, issues related to the numbering plan and interconnection be removed so that existing operators can offer Internet telephony services.

“With 12-14 access providers already present in every service area, we believe that there will be ample competition in this service segment to give consumers the benefit of choice as well as affordability,” it added.

Agreeing with COAI, the Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (AUSPI), the CDMA operators’ body, said that only UASL operators should be permitted to provide internet telephony within the country as per the licence conditions.

Telecom operators Airtel, BSNL and Reliance Communications, in their individual responses, concurred with the views taken by their representative bodies.

Stating that ISPs should be allowed to offer internet telephony within the country, ISPAI has asked for amendments to the existing licence conditions. It said that ISPs pay 85% of their revenues to telcos for using their resources as well as 6% of their revenues to the government.

“Access providers will also get termination charges so there will be a win-win situation for ISPs as well as operators,” it added.

[Honest 836]

TRAI recommendations on Internet telephony in 60 days

20 Jun, 2008, 1927 hrs IST, PTI

KOLKATA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India would submit its recommendations to the government on internet telephony in the next two months.

Member TRAI R N Prabhakar told reporters on the sidelines of an open house on Interneet Telephony that they would submit their recommendations to DoT within two months.

In the consultation paper prepared by TRAI, the regulator had said that allowing fixed line and wireless mobile connectivity to internet service providers (ISPs) would provide a cheaper option to subscribers for making domestic and international long distance calls.

He also said that this may act as a catalyst in boosting broadband penetration in the country, which was abysmally low.

It would also help the callers in getting cheaper tariffs as compared to call charges on fixed line and cellular were relatively on the higher side.

In the open house, cellular service operators sought a level playing field if the government allows ISPs to provide fixedline and mobile services in the country.