Choose Your ILD Operator - Trai to implement Carrier Access Code

[Arun 795]

Sunil Jain in New Delhi | November 12, 2005 11:07 IST - Rediff.com

The last component of an ambitious plan to lower national and international long-distance call rates will fall in place by the end of the month when the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India implements the carrier access code. The code will allow individual users to decide which company will carry their long-distance traffic.

So, Bharti mobile phone users can indicate whether calls they wish to make from Delhi to Mumbai are to be carried on a Reliance Infocomm or a VSNL long-distance network as these companies' rates are more attractive than Bharti's, for instance.

Today, without the CAC, there is little competition among long-distance players like Bharti, VSNL-Tata and Reliance since their subscribers cannot choose their long-distance carriers.

So, even if, say, Reliance offers lower long-distance rates than Bharti, users of Bharti's mobile service cannot use Reliance's long-distance service. In effect, though there are three domestic long-distance players, no competition exists among them.

Once the CAC is allowed, this will change, especially because stand-alone long-distance call providers will now be able to offer very low rates to individuals who will now be free to use their services, much like what happens in countries like the US.

On July 24, 2002, Trai had issued instructions that the CAC be implemented, but at that time Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd had said it was not ready for this and would have to spend a huge amount of money to implement the service since its exchanges were not computerised.

One of the pre-requisites for the CAC is having a billing service, which maintains a call data record. CDR, literally, records call duration and to whom a call is made).

When BSNL expressed the inability to implement the CDR, the department of telecommunications gave it a one-year extension in November 2002. MTNL, too, had said it could not implement the CDR (and, therefore, the CAC) for similar reasons.

The DoT, had, however, issued CACs for long-distance players in 2002 itself. So, if a call has to be carried by Reliance, an user will have to dial 1030. For Bharti, it is 1050 and for VSNL, 1040, and then punch in the STD code and the phone number.

In 2002, the DoT had formed a committee to examine the whole issue of costs. The committee had concluded that the actual cost for setting up the CDR and the CAC for BSNL would be a fourth of Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) BSNL had indicated.

It was pointed out that BSNL had added a lot of other costs, such as those of replacing certain old exchanges, which they would have had to change anyway.

According to Trai, BSNL's CDR billing system should be fully stable by the end of the month and, therefore, it has asked all operators to submit details of their CDR-CAC readiness by November 21. After this, Trai will reiterate its earlier order for implementation.

Once this happens, Trai will also allow long-distance operators to charge lower rates for carrying calls. Today, a minute's carriage charges are set at between 20 paise and Rs 1.1 for different distances even though leased line rates have fallen by over 70 per cent over the past few months. Trai has said that after the CAC is implemented, operators will be free to charge market rates and so, rates are expected to tumble.

Read more about CAC here

The new telecom policy draft has paved the way for stoking competition and allowing customers to select their long distance operators by calling for introduction of carrier access code immediately.

Under carrier access code, users can select an operator who offers the most competitive call rates by dialing a specific code to be issued by DoT, followed by the STD/ISD code and the telephone number.

Today in the absence of CAC, the competition in the long distance telephony is very limited. According to the NTP 2005 draft, CAC should be put in place immediately to enable customers to select a long distance operator of their choice - a move that will bring about more competition in the segment.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Arun

[linuxguy 0]

Great but the government MUST force MTNL and BSNL to release their local loops to the private players so we can have multiple internet providers using DSL technology. This will flare up the competition!

[SexyGurl 0]

I would rather have the private players set up their own wired networks ... if they really want to.

(Though, wireless seems to be a clear winner, at the moment).

It's easier and cleaner to have the old copper wired networks of BSNL / MTNL fade into obsolescense.

Broadband of the future is not going to be via DSL .. but by Fiber-to-the-building.

And till that happens .. Real Broadband has to come in the form of Reliance webworlds .... Video Con @ 786 kbps .. my god ... it was a real experience for me !

[abhay 0]

I would rather have the private players set up their own wired  networks ... if they really want to.

(Though, wireless seems to be a clear winner, at the moment).

It's easier and cleaner to have the old copper wired networks of BSNL / MTNL fade into obsolescense.

Broadband of the future is not going to be via DSL .. but by Fiber-to-the-building.

And till that happens .. Real Broadband has to come in the form of Reliance webworlds .... Video Con @ 786 kbps .. my god ... it was a real experience for me !

46683[/snapback]

1) now frm where in this whole wide world did u bump in this forum! neva heard of ya and that too with 248 posts!

2) am also a wireless pro! but some ppl here object the same! isint it linuxguy

[linuxguy 0]

SexyGurl, right! 786Kbps was an experience to remember? Well I have experienced over 2Mbps speeds with my ISP THAT is an experience to remember!

[abhay 0]

SexyGurl, right! 786Kbps was an experience to remember? Well I have experienced over 2Mbps speeds with my ISP THAT is an experience to remember!

46780[/snapback]

2 mbps of local lan or actual download speed

[SexyGurl 0]

2 Mbps means a T1 line (T1=1.5 Mbps, to be exact) ... usually that kindof speeds are available to corporate (in their premises only).

(which is shared by all people in the company's office ... so per head it's lower). Though, on a holiday, if one is alone is office, one could have that speed.

Movies from internet can be seen at 1.5 Mbps (eg. songs / vids from www.smashhits.com).

I was talking about 786 kbps for a retail customer ... that is surely NOT COMMON in India, yet.

(In fact, Reliance webworlds are the most common place for vid conf to retail customers) .... Sify etc. are cr*p.

LINUXGUY: Don't tell you got 2Mbps at your home .... because that speed can't be delivered over:

1. Ordinary Telephone Cable (copper)

2. Neither over copper, using ISDN

3. Neither over coaxial cable (thru cable operator)

4. Neither by ANY wireless medium discovered in the world, yet.

If you want 2Mbps at your home .... you *MUST* have optic fiber to your premises. --> Which most likey you don't have.

Even if you were sitting in your ISP's office ....he'll need to have the optic fiber upto his premises (though, i agree, is not in the category of impossible).

2 mbps of local lan or actual download speed

46783[/snapback]

10 Mbps is the bare minimum LAN speed I have heard of. (ordinary Ethernet).

100 Mbps is increasingly becoming common in medium and large companies.

In fact 10 Mbps makes sense only in subnets having less than 20 users or so.

Gigabit Ethernet for LAN is also no longer that uncommon.

[abhay 0]

Movies from internet can be seen at 1.5 Mbps (eg. songs / vids from www.smashhits.com).

1) i c vidz and songs from smashhits @ 256 k! they are good enough considering that fact i was on dialup before

2) it might be his lan speeed! he might be taken out something from his local network

[SexyGurl 0]

Yeah.. one way video should work @ 256 kbps.

(so smashhits would be ok)

A video Conf won't ... because you need to download as well as upload data for videos.

In fact 512 kbps is the minimum speed a reasonable (i.e. small TV screen big) VideoConf would work.

(Of course, small video chat works even in dial up .... but u know the size of window during yahoo chat !!! ... )

[abhay 0]

Yeah.. one way video should work @ 256 kbps.

(so smashhits would be ok)

A video Conf  won't ... because you need to download as well as upload data for videos.

In fact 512 kbps is the minimum speed a reasonable (i.e. small TV screen big) VideoConf would work.

(Of course, small video chat works even in dial up .... but u know the size of window during yahoo chat !!! ... )

46790[/snapback]

true

[adwait 0]

LINUXGUY: Don't tell you got 2Mbps at your home .... because that speed can't be delivered over:

1. Ordinary Telephone Cable (copper)

2. Neither over copper, using ISDN

3. Neither over coaxial cable (thru cable operator)

4. Neither by ANY wireless medium discovered in the world, yet.

If you want 2Mbps at your home .... you *MUST* have optic fiber to your premises. --> Which most likey you don't have.

46786[/snapback]

Not true:

1)Speeds upto 10mbps possible with copper phone lines

3)Speed upto 100 mbps possible with coaxial cable.

4)Speed upto 54 mbps possinle with wi-max (read somewhere on this forum).

Edited November 13, 2005 by Chirag

[linuxguy 0]

2 mbps of local lan or actual download speed

2Mbps internet speeds! i.e. download speed!

2 Mbps means a T1 line (T1=1.5 Mbps, to be exact) ... usually that kindof speeds are available to corporate (in their premises only).

Erm...the local cable ISP who lays out cat5 UTP cable is capable of giving out 100Mbps speeds. Because, thats the speed at which we can transfer over cat5/5e cables

I was talking about 786 kbps for a retail customer ... that is surely NOT COMMON in India, yet.

Did I say I got a 2Mbps plan? No. I simply said I once got 2Mbps speeds.

LINUXGUY: Don't tell you got 2Mbps at your home ....

Yes I did.

because that speed can't be delivered over:

1. Ordinary Telephone Cable (copper)

2. Neither over copper, using ISDN

3. Neither over coaxial cable (thru cable operator)

4. Neither by ANY wireless medium discovered in the world, yet.

Hello? wake up?! Copper (Telephone lines) are quite capable of carrying upto 80Mbps. Heck! Your ****y MTNL Triband's infrastructure can carry more than 24Mbps. The STP wires that the cable operator gives (the ones for the cable TV) have HUGE bandwidth. Infact they can be used for Gigabit LANS (1000Mbps). And finally, 802.11g standards support 54Mbps speeds. Clever hacks by equipment vendors allow speeds of upto 108Mbps on the same hardware! All are very well above 2Mbps.

If you want 2Mbps at your home .... you *MUST* have optic fiber to your premises. --> Which most likey you don't have.

Wake up and smell the coffee! Fibre optic cables are used for the major part of the network. The cables delivered to your home are STILL plain old copper! Shocked? Well, accept it cuz its the truth! And one more thing Fibre Optic cables were invented to increase the carrying capacity of the old copper fibres. As of today, copper fibres are capable of transfer speeds of 1000Mbps (1Gbps). Fibre optic cables have speeds over 1Gbps

Even if you were sitting in your ISP's office ....he'll need to have the optic fiber upto his premises

Read my above comments. 2Mbps speeds are very much possible on copper cables. Infact copper cables are commonly used in cat5/5e cables which deliver 100Mbps speeds. It's called - The LAN

2 mbps of local lan or actual download speed

46783[/snapback]

10 Mbps is the bare minimum LAN speed I have heard of. (ordinary Ethernet).

This comment leads me to believe that you are confusing 2MBps with 2Mbps.

2Mbps = 2 Mega BITS per second

2MBps = 2 Mega BYTES per second

(Notice the capital B and small .

Even if you DID confuse the two, 2MBps translates into 16Mbps, which is very much possible with our regular 100Mbps LAN/MAN/WANs.

100 Mbps is increasingly becoming common in medium and large companies.

In fact 10 Mbps makes sense only in subnets having less than 20 users or so.

Gigabit Ethernet for LAN is also no longer that uncommon.

46787[/snapback]

Finally if you knew all this then why did you say that getting 2Mbps speeds were impossible?

To clarify my original post. I got 2Mbps speeds because the server to which I was connected got mucked up. Somehow its bandwidth shaping software crashed and everybody started getting SUPERFAST speeds. As I understand, that server was connected to a 10Mbps internet leased line. Since there were very little people online at that time, I was able to get 2Mbps! And yes, I am ashamed to say that I used to use my local cablewallah's connection! But now I am not much different. Only thing is, the local cable wallah has been replaced by reliance powersurfer!

[adforsaj 0]

this thread's topic Choose Your Ild Operator From December !, TRAI to implement Carrier Access Code !

But we are discussing other things. I advice moderator plz maintaine this thread.

actually discussion is very good but I have find it in search menu not in new thread section.

Keep it up.

[linuxguy 0]

I think this thread should be spilt.

[Chirag 5]

u guys have been discussing this Broadband "definition" thing jus everywhere on the forum. Probably its time enuf to delete all such posts! Its jus getting on the nerves to read the same thing again n again.

[linuxguy 0]

Heh. Sorry for that Chirag. But the basic issue remains the same and it does pop up most of the times. But yeah, enough of beating the dead horse! It's already dead, mutilated, powdered!

[abhay 0]

Operators are not yet ready for CAC

It might be a while before telecom users are able to choose their preferred long distance call service provider, with all operators asked by TRAI to report their preparedness for introducing Carrier Access Code seeking at least one to three weeks time for the same.

None of them (operators) have been able to comply... they have sought time between one week to three weeks. The Authority will soon decide how much time they have to be given, TRAI officials said.

Under CAC, telecom users would be able to place long distance calls through any operator of their choice irrespective of their existing service provider.

Once these operators report their preparedness, the Department of Telecom has to decide and issue them Carrier Access Codes, which would be used by subscribers to exercise their choice.

Even as CAC finds a proper roadmap in the draft National Telecom Policy under the DoT, TRAI had in July 2002 issued a direction to Access Providers and National/International Long Distance Operators regarding the implementation of Call by Call and Carrier-Pre Selection in their respective networks.

This, TRAI, wanted to be implemented over a time frame of 3 to 18 months, depending upon the type of carrier selection and type of long distance services.

TRAI had sought to review the current status on readiness of implementation of Carrier Access Code/ Carrier Pre Selection in operators' network and had asked to submit the action plan for Carrier Selection implementation to it by November 21.

The information sought from the operators relates to Upgradation of Switches for dynamic (Call by Call) Carrier Selection and Carrier Pre Selection, Agreements finalised between Access Provider and NLDOs/ILDs and detailed implementation schedule.

At that time, BSNL was not having capability of CDR-based billing and was given a relaxation for implementation of call by call selection or pre-selection in its network by DoT for a period of 12 months.

DoT had also laid down a condition that the relaxation would stand withdrawn in case Bureau Model Interconnect Settlement or upgraded CDR Billing System was put in place earlier.

At present, BSNL is currently in the process of putting in place the CDR (Call Data Record) billing system.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1305311.cms

[anujit 0]

Of course they are not ready. How can anyone say "yes I'm ready I've spent crores of rupees on building up. Now I'm spending crores more for changing my systems to support CAC. Now I cant wait to get screwed over by anyone any everyone!"

[Chirag 5]

Any idea abt the call rates for the three providers? so we can know, who's offering it cheaper?

[linuxguy 0]

I think they are just killing time and trying to bribe TRAI! They obviously want to retain their monopolies! :|

[spdf 0]

Be free to choose ISD provider: Trai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2006 12:00:37 AM]

KOLKATA: National telecom regulator, Trai, plans to implement the carrier access code (CAC), which gives freedom to customers to choose the service provider for long distance calls, after getting government’s view on the One India plan for PSU telecom operators.

“We can go ahead for carrier access code in international long distance calls (ISD). But we are waiting for the government’s announcement on the One India plan,” Trai chairman, Pradip Baijal told reporters in the city on Saturday. He was here to participate in the ICFAI Business School’s Strategy Summit 2006.

The government had earlier announced the One India plan for PSU telecom giant BSNL but is yet to take a final decision on it, while private operator Reliance Infocomm has already launched the scheme enabling its customers to make calls to any phone anywhere within the country at Re 1 per minute. Baijal said he expected other players to also follow suit given the intense competition in the telecom circle.

Trai has also finalised a consultation paper on the lifetime validity schemes being offered by various mobile service operators and is set to take decision on it within a month, he said.

The lifetime validity plans announced by service providers had earlier come under the scrutiny of Trai, with the regulator seeking details of cost, traffic and revenue from service providers.

Trai said the lifetime validity tariff plans recently announced by a number of mobile operators, raise the following issues: long term viability and sustainability of these plans, whether lifetime can exceed the balance licence period of the operators and, if not, would the plans vary in their validity duration.

It also raised questions on what would happen to the plans in case of substantial changes in the traffic pattern and interconnect user charges regime.

[Arun 795]

Trai drops carrier access code plan

The Financial Express

Saturday, December 09, 2006 at 0048 hours IST

Barely days after the department of telecommunications (DoT) ignored the suggestion by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on implementing mobile number portability, Trai is believed to have decided to dump yet another consumer-friendly reform "carrier access code (CAC)" which would allow subscribers to choose long-distance carriers.

According to sources, Trai has decided against implementing CAC, which has been on hold for more than two years now. Unlike mobile number portability where the final decision rested with the DoT, on CAC, Trai's decision is supposed to be final.

Sources said that Trai believes CAC is unnecessary since it recently issued intelligent network regulations. These regulations make it mandatory for telecom operators to provide interconnection to each other's network to access toll-free numbers and virtual calling cards (VCCs).

While Trai chairman Nripendra Misra told FE that no final decision has yet been taken on CAC, sources said that with the intelligent network regulations being put in place, the choice of carrier for consumers would be available through VCC cards. For instance, a BSNL subscriber could buy VCC cards of a rival operator whose long-distance tariffs were more attractive.

Telecom operators, who have been lobbying against CAC implementation, would be the major beneficiaries of the move. CAC implementation would have cost them over Rs 2,000 crore in network upgrade. Operators have reasoned that competition had already brought down STD/ISD rates and there was no need to implement CAC. They have been saying that there was enough competition in the market driving down tariffs.

Earlier, Trai had invited national and international long-distance operators to discuss the issue but sources said operators were against its implementation because of the cost involved. CAC implementation was put on hold earlier because the government had requested Trai to give BSNL time as its revenue would have shrunk with the implementation of CAC.

[abhay 0]

this really ****z !! CAC world reallly brought much needed competition in this area

all these policy makers

Edited December 9, 2006 by abhay

[kshah 452]

in India grease palms of babus and overrule regulatory authorities. for operators TRAI HAS DONE more harm then good. Thats the reason why tele comminication is cheapet in world in India and which operator will like that? Also TRAI is forcing them to go to remote places to expand networks, which is not so profit making.