ITV

Category: TRAI

  • TRAI says get spectrum from Defence, denies Govt. has no authority to ask BSNL to return unused spectrum

    TRAI says get spectrum from Defence, denies Govt. has no authority to ask BSNL to return unused spectrum

    NEW DELHI: Expressing concern that the constrained supply of spectrum poses a real threat to the continuity of services being provided to millions of subscribers by the expiry licensees, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reiterated its earlier recommendation for a dialogue at the level of the Ministers for Finance, Communications, Defence to ensure the availability of additional spectrum for commercial use.
     
    In a letter to the Telecom Secretary, the Authority has said the non-availability of sufficient spectrum is the biggest impediment to the realisation of the stated goals in NTP- 2012 for broadband proliferation. The Authority re-emphasised the need to increase the supply of spectrum.
     
    The letter was in response to the DoT’s reference of 14 November seeking some clarifications on recommendations on Valuation and Reserve Price of Spectrum Licenses expiring in 2015-16 sent on 15 October.  
     
    There is no change in the reserve prices for spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands from what were recommended earlier.
     
    The   Authority reiterated that steps should be  taken to  make available additional spectrum in  the  900, 1800 and 2100 MHz bands by  taking back 1.2  MHz of 900 MHz spectrum from BSNL,  utilising idle  1800 MHz spectrum in  the  Defence band and vacating spectrum held in excess of 20 MHz by Defence in the 1800 MHz ban.
     
    The Authority’s recommendation for the implementation of E-GSM band is one of the ways to enhance the supply of 900 MHz band spectrum which is considered by operators (the market) to be the most valuable spectrum. The option needs to be given serious consideration by the government.
     
    In the 2100 MHz band, an additional 3 blocks of 2×5 MHz of spectrum can be made available by swapping spectrum in this band with Defence which can be assigned spectrum in the 1900 MHz   band (1910-1920/1980-1990 MHz).
     
    The spectrum in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands should be auctioned together (simultaneously). Uncertainty would continue if auction of spectrum in the 2100 MHz is taken up later.
     
    The government should announce its decision on the adoption of APT700 band plan. It should also announce the roadmap for the auction of spectrum in 700 MHz band. This should be done before the conduct of the upcoming auctions in 900/1800 MHz band. These two decisions will help in the faster development of the device eco-system. It will also help TSPs to take an informed decision when bidding for the upcoming auction in 800/900/1800 MHz bands.
     
    The Authority had recommended that 1.2 MHz spectrum in 900 MHz band should be taken back from BSNL from all the LSAs where licences expire in 2015-16 except in Punjab. In lieu, BSNL should be assigned 1.2 MHz in the 1800 MHz band only in those LSAs where its spectrum holding in that band is less than 3.8 MHz in this band i.e. in Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal. However, the DoT said it had no jurisdiction to take back spectrum from BSNL to which TRAI has said the PSUs (MTNL/BSNL) were awarded the spectrum in the 900 MHz band administratively and free of charge. Both the PSUs are government-owned companies and the government has every right to take the spectrum back from them if they are not using it optimally and efficiently. “It is inexplicable to take the stand that the government, being a sovereign and as owner of the PSU companies cannot resume spectrum given to the PSUs free of charge.” Besides, the DoT, being the licensor, has to ensure that spectrum is put to optimal use and an operator does not squat on invaluable spectrum.
     
    In this context, TRAI said it was worth recalling that being government companies, the government assigned 3G and BWA spectrum to them without their participation in the auctions. This spectrum was literally foisted on the PSUs. Later, when they just could not use the BWA spectrum, the government allowed them to surrender BWA spectrum and decided to refund the payment made by these PSUs.

     

  • Smaller ISPs exempted from reporting requirement if subscribers number is less than 10,000

    Smaller ISPs exempted from reporting requirement if subscribers number is less than 10,000

     NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today decided to exempt internet service providers from the tariff reporting requirement during a financial year if the total number of its subscribers is less than ten thousand (<10,000) on the last day of the preceding financial year.

     
    It also said the existing exemption given to access service providers in respect of tariff schemes offered to bulk customer in response to a tender process or as a result of negotiations between the access provider and such bulk customer has been extended to the ISPs also.

     
    These directives came in the 59th Amendment to the Telecommunication Tariff Order (TTO) 1999.

     
    The amendment said exemption from tariff reporting requirement granted to the small ISPs did not mean that the regulatory principles, guidelines, etc. would not apply to them.

     
    However, keeping in view the small size of operations and resultant turnover of these small ISPs, the Authority feels that it is quite unlikely that these small-sized ISPs would violate the regulatory principles sought to be achieved by way of tariff reporting, especially in the competitive environment. Further, such exemption would help the small ISPs in reducing their compliance costs and once they achieve a subscriber base of 10,000 they will come under the ambit of tariff reporting requirement.

     
    In an explanatory memorandum to the Amendment, TRAI said clause 7 of the Telecommunication Tariff Order 1999 stipulated that all service providers shall comply with the reporting requirement in respect of tariffs specified for the first time and also all subsequent changes; provided that in respect of tariff plans offered by a telecom access provider to bulk customers, such as corporates, small and medium enterprises, institutions, etc. either in response to a tender process or as a result of negotiations between the access provider and such bulk customer, the reporting requirement shall not apply.

     
    The reporting requirement has been defined in clause 2 (l) of TTO 1999 as obligation of a service provider to report to the Authority, any new tariff for telecommunication  services    and/  or  any  changes  therein  within  seven working  days  from  the  date  of  implementation  of  the  said  tariff  for information and record of the Authority after conducting a self-check to ensure that the tariff plan(s) is/are consistent with the regulatory principles in all respects which inter-alia includes IUC compliance, non-discrimination and non-predation.

     
    The amendment followed comments received from ISPs to a draft amendment released by the Regulator in September.

     

    Click here to read the full amendment

    Click here to read the press release

     

  • Nodal monitoring units for DAS to be formed by mid-January, task force to meet every month

    Nodal monitoring units for DAS to be formed by mid-January, task force to meet every month

    NEW DELHI: A total of 11 crore set top boxes (STBs) will be needed for the third and final phase of digital addressable system of which only three crore will be for direct-to-home (DTH) platforms.

     
    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) says the requirements for phase III have been worked out on the basis of census 2011 data and the compiled data will be sent to state governments for vetting.
     

    The data for TV households is also being collected from the Registrar General and Census Commissioner for verification.

     
    The Ministry, which claims that manufacturers have assured it of adequate supplies of STBs, has constituted a publicity committee and begun issuing advertisements in newspapers and the electronic media in this regard to encourage multi-system operators to place orders.

     
    During the recent task force meeting for the next two phases of DAS, the Ministry said it will facilitate a meeting of manufacturers of indigenous STBs and MSOs in view of complaints by the manufacturers that no orders were being placed for the STBs.

     
    A multi-lingual call centre will be set up by the end of February, and 12 nodal regional monitoring units will begin working by 15 January. The task force will meet every on the second Wednesday of every month.

     
    The task force meeting under the chairmanship of Ministry additional secretary J S Mathur was also addressed by the advisor for DAS Yogendra Pal.

     
    A road map has been prepared by the government for the final two phases, and MSOs have been asked to apply by 21 December this year for licences.

     
    The Home Ministry will clear all security licences within 90 days, the meeting was informed.

     
    Publicity awareness campaigns have also commenced, for which a Publicity Committee has been formed.

     
    The Department of Information Technology is in the process of developing an Indian cable access system that will be ready in a year and will make interoperability of STBs possible. A participant pointed out that there was still the issue of certification involved in the embedment of CAS in set top box manufactured by the domestic STB manufacturers. The integration of CAS with the STB is a time consuming process and indigenous STB manufacturers must clear the apprehensions on this account.

     
    The long pending demand of “C” Form had been resolved to give fillip to domestic manufacturing of STBs.

     
    Interestingly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has not attended any of the two task force meetings, a point noted by several participants. However, Mathur said TRAI was being apprised of the proceedings.

     
    The Ministry officials said that MSOs could simply download the forms for registration and did not have to come to the Ministry.

     
    A participant pointed out that the carriage fee which had fallen initially after announcement of DAS had again shot up. Others said issues relating to billing, packaging and reference interconnect order had still not been ironed out by TRAI.

     
    There was also a reference to entertainment tax, and it was stated by some participants that the Uttar Pradesh Government had sharply raised this tax.

     

  • TRAI clears platform services offered by local cable ops, subject to conditions and payments

    TRAI clears platform services offered by local cable ops, subject to conditions and payments

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended the establishment of an online system by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to register all the platform services being offered and the registration is on the basis of a simple set of information and at a nominal registration fee of Rs 1000 per channel.

     
    According to the recommendations on the ‘Regulatory Framework for Platform Services’ issued by it, TRAI said distribution platform operators (DPOs) desirous of providing platform services must be incorporated as a company under the Indian Companies Act 2013.

     
    TRAI had issued a consultation paper on ‘Regulatory framework for Platform Services’ on 23 June and the recommendations are based on the responses received from stakeholders. TRAI said there is an urgent need to ensure that these programming services are brought within the four corners of a robust and fair regulatory system that addresses all concerns adequately.

     

    The Ministry in a letter to TRAI on 17 January 2013 sought recommendations of TRAI under section 11 (1) (a) (ii), (iii) and (iv) of TRAI Act, 1997 on the issues related to local ground-based channels of cable TV operators. In addition, through an earlier letter of 2 February 2009, the Ministry had also sought TRAI’s recommendations about such kind of programming services being offered by DTH service providers to their subscribers as well as on the issue of carriage of FM radio channels on the DTH platform.

     
    The Regulator also issued a letter in this connection to the secretary in the Ministry, Bimal Julka.

     
    TRAI has also said a time of 12 months should be given to the DPOs to comply with the guidelines to be issued by the Ministry in this regard.

     
    Prior clearance is required from the district authorities of any local information and local affairs bulletins that may be transmitted.

     
    Platform Services (PS) are programming services/ channels that are owned by the DPO; available only to the subscribers of the DPO’s network; advertisements, if any, on these channels is inserted by the DPO and ad-revenues, therefore, accrue to it. Regular TV channels, howsoever transmitted, and Doordarshan channels which appear on the TV networks, cannot be included in PS. Further, foreign TV channels not registered in India cannot be included in PS.

     
    A maximum number of five PS channels may be offered by the cable operators in non-DAS areas. In DAS areas and for all other platforms, a maximum of 15 PS channels may be offered by the DPOs. These numbers are the number of PS channels to be made available at the subscribers’ end.

     
    In addition to the recommendations on Platform services, the Authority has suo motu made recommendations for a regulatory framework for ground based broadcasters as well. This has been done to ensure that any TV channel that is distributed on any TV network in India is covered by a regulatory framework, whether it is obtained from a satellite-based broadcaster; produced by the network operator or sourced from a terrestrial broadcaster.

     
    The recommendations for the ground-based broadcasters are largely the same as that for the satellite broadcasters, barring the requirements of seeking spectrum and approvals in that regard from Department of Telecom and the Department of Space.

     
    Retransmission of FM radio channels on TV channel distribution networks has been recommended provided that all the legal rights to do so are obtained. However, the Authority has said that this matter will be revisited at a later point in time, once the FM radio industry fully develops in India.

     
    These recommendations have been issued in view of ground based channels being operated at the level of cable TV operators and regarding the kind of programming services being offered by the DTH service providers to their subscribers.

     
    The Authority recommends that no change in the existing FDI limits and Net-worth requirements be made for DPOs offering PS.

     
    In so far as carrying local news and current affairs bulletins on PS is concerned, the following categories will be treated as non-news and current affairs broadcast and will, therefore, be permissible:

     
    (i) Information about local events and other local affairs, sourced locally and not obtained from news agencies or from broadcast news channels/ sources;

    (ii) Information pertaining to sporting events, excluding live coverage. However live commentaries of sporting events of local nature may be permissible, if broadcasting rights for the same are not held by anyone else;

    (iii) Information pertaining to Traffic and Weather;

    (iv) Information pertaining to and coverage of cultural events, festivals;

    (v) Coverage of topics pertaining to examinations, results, admissions, career counseling;

    (vi) Availability of employment opportunities; and

    (vii) Public announcements pertaining to civic amenities like electricity, water supply, natural calamities, health alerts etc. as provided by the local administration.

     
    There are four distinct kinds of channels, though variously described, and with a variety of content, that are being carried on DPO networks. For analytical ease and simplicity these are classified in terms of the source of the channel:  

     
    (a) Private Satellite Channels: These are the traditional satellite broadcast channels, governed by the Uplinking/ Downlinking Guidelines of the Ministry. They carry all genres of programme content.

    (b) Doordarshan Channels: These are the Public Broadcaster’s channels, some of which the TV networks are mandated to carry under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.

    (c) Platform Services (PS) Channels: These are channels owned and operated by the DPOs and distributed to their own subscribers. They are of several kinds and, depending on the design of the network, may or may not be interactive. They offer a fairly wide variety of content to their subscribers. Content generally offered includes local affairs information/news; movies; general entertainment; music; education and religion. The DTH networks offer on-demand services for which the subscriber has to pay extra. These channels include movies/ video on demand, educational channels, interactive channels, etc. While such on-demand channels are at present distributed only by the DTH operators, in the DAS environment MSOs too can provide them.

     
    (d) Ground-based Channels: These channels are akin to the traditional broadcast channels, but with a strong local focus. In the comments received they have generally been referred to as ‘local-channels’ and the producers of such channels have been described as ‘local-channel operators’. In reality they are ground-based broadcasters. These channels offer a variety of content such as local news and information; regional movies and music; religious content, etc. The ground-based broadcaster channels are an integral part of most cable TV networks. Like traditional TV channels, these channels may also be carried on more than one DPO network simultaneously. The owners of these channels transmit the content terrestrially to the headend of the cable TV network, i.e., there is no uplinking or downlinking of the channel and the DPOs retransmit them on commercial terms to the subscribers. Like traditional TV channels, these local-channels also carry advertisements and the ad-revenue obtained usually accrues to the ground-based broadcaster. Consequently, they own the rights for the content carried and are responsible for the same. At present, such channels are not specifically covered under any regulatory framework and the ground-based broadcasters are not formally recognised as a ‘broadcaster’.

     
    The Authority recommended that any DPO offering PS retain, with itself, a recording of all PS channel programmes for a period of 90 days; a written log/register should also be maintained about such programme for a period of one year from the date of broadcast. The recording and the register can be examined by the Authorised Officer and the State/District Monitoring Committee appointed by the MIB as, when and if required. For PS distributed on a pan-India basis MIB should be the monitoring agency.

     
    The Authority recommends that the first violation of the PS Guidelines should lead to prohibition on transmission of the PS channel for a period of up to 30 days; for the second violation, the prohibition on transmission of the PS channel should be for a period of up to 90 days; for the third violation the registration of the PS should be revoked and the PS channel concerned should not be allowed to be transmitted. Consequently, the number of PS channels that the DPO can transmit thereafter will be appropriately reduced.

     
    Considering the smaller reach of some of the ground-based broadcasters, the Authority recommends that a State should be taken as a unit and a reach in 15 or more States should be taken as a pan-India presence. The States that are members of the North Eastern Council (NEC) could be considered to be equivalent to one State, for this purpose.

     

  • TRAI issues regulations relating to VAS for pre-paid consumers

    TRAI issues regulations relating to VAS for pre-paid consumers

    NEW DELHI: Realising that its earlier regulations relate only to subscription-based value added services, the Telecom Authority of India (TRAI) has directed all access service providers to ensure that the value added service (VAS) for products embedded in the SIM application Tool Kit (STK) of SIM card is provided to the consumer only after obtaining the explicit consent of the consumer in accordance with a procedure specified by the regulator.

     

    The directive has to be implemented by all access service providers including the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) within sixty days.

     

    The new directive has been issued under section 13, read with sub-clauses (i) and (v) of clause (b) of sub-section ( 1) of section 11 of the TRAI Act 1997 and clause 11 of the Telecom Tariff Order 1999 to ensure compliance of terms and conditions of license and to protect the interest of consumers.

     

    The process of providing value added service for products embedded in the SIM card:

     

    (a) For obtaining explicit consent through consumer originated SMS:

     

    Step 1: The consumer explores the VAS link in the SIM Application Tool Kit (STK) of the SIM card and clicks the link.

     

    Step 2: The service provider after receiving the message/information shall inform consumer through SMS  regarding the  value added service requested; its validity; the  charges thereof and the consumer shall be asked to confirm the request within sixty minutes by sending ‘yes’ to the specified number;

     

    Step 3: If no confirmation is received from the consumer, the request of the consumer shall not be processed;

     

    Step 4: If the consumer confirms his   request, the value added service platform of the service provider shall deliver the product on the mobile number of the consumer and the consent logs shall be stored in the system of the service provider in an un-editable format;

     

    Step 5: The consumer shall receive an SMS immediately after delivery of the product to the consumer, informing the consumer about charges deducted and the balance remaining;

     

    (b) For obtaining explicit consent through third party consent gateway:

     

    Step 1: The consumer explores the VAS link in the SIM Application Tool Kit (STK) of the SIM card and clicks the link.

     

    Step 2: The service provider after receiving the message/information shall inform the   consumer through SMS regarding  the value added service requested; its validity; the charges thereof, and the consumer shall be forwarded to the “Consent Gateway” set up by the service provider and managed by a third party;

     

    Step 3: The “Consent Gateway” shall seek the second consent of the consumer;

     

    Step 4: The consumer shall give his consent by pressing the relevant key, and the consent logs shall be stored in the system of the service provider in an un-editable format;

     

    Step 5: The “Consent Gateway” shall forward the consent of the consumer to the value added service platform of the service provider;

     

    Step 6: The value added service platform of the service provider shall deliver the product on the mobile number of the consumer;

     

    Step 7: The consumer shall receive an SMS immediately after delivery of the product to   the consumer, informing the consumer about the charges deducted and the balance remaining.

     

    TRAI said the genesis of some of the complaints is that a number of value  added  service products are embedded in  the SIM card and in many cases the consumer accidentally or unknowingly clicks these  products and the customer is immediately charged  for the service, without being                                    provided with any information regarding the applicable charges and also without being offered any opportunity to give consent as to whether he wants to proceed or not.

     

    The regulator said this emerged during its monitoring the compliance of the directions pertaining to the activation and deactivation of value added services and while examining some of the complaints received by the Authority relating to activation of value added services without consent. 

  • TRAI to hold Open House Discussion in Delhi on migration to IP-based networks

    TRAI to hold Open House Discussion in Delhi on migration to IP-based networks

    NEW DELHI: Following the receipt of some responses to its Consultation Paper on the issue, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has organised an Open House Discussion on 2 December on migration to IP-based networks.  
     
    TRAI sources said the OHD had been organised as the matter of migration to IP-based networks and requirement of regulatory intervention in IP based interconnection required urgent decision.
     
    The paper had been issued by TRAI on 30 June and later time for responses had been extended to 19 August with counter-comments, if any by 26 August.
     
    The Consultation Paper wanted the opinion of stakeholders on interconnection requirement for application and content service providers; quality of service issues; and various other operational issues- sharing of network elements, emergency numbering etc
     
    Traditional telecommunication systems are migrating towards more powerful and viable internet protocol based telecommunication systems.  Migration to IP based network will result in co-existence of legacy network along with IP based network. The new IP based network as well as its co-existence with legacy network will give rise to several operational, interconnection and quality of service issues which needs to be addressed for the successful migration to IP based networks.
     
    Traditional telecommunications systems are nearing the end of their product lifecycles, and worldwide, operators are strategising whether to repair/ replace these systems or head down a completely new and potentially more viable path — migration towards an Internet Protocol (IP)-based telecommunications systems.

     

    Modern digital technology allows different sectors/services viz. telecom, data, radio and television, to be merged together. This phenomenon, commonly known as convergence, is taking place on a global scale and is drastically changing the way in which both people and devices communicate. The backbones for making such convergence possible are IP-based networks. The opportunities presented by IP based networks are immense and will help the telecom service provider (TSPs) to converge their network infrastructures, provide huge bandwidth, consolidate terminating traffic and reduce long-distance charges.
     
     Integrated consumer devices for providing various services such as telephony, entertainment, security or personal computing are constantly being designed and developed. These are based on communication standard that is independent from the underlying physical connection.

     

    Legacy networks are based on circuit switched technology. In circuit switched networks, calls are routed through a hierarchy of several layers of exchanges. A circuit-switched network creates a dedicated between two nodes in the network to establish a connection. The established connection is thus dedicated for the period of communication between the two nodes. This uses a variety of transmission media; as a result they are technically and operationally complex. This in turn, makes the maintenance and operational costs of legacy networks expensive.
     
    Service providers face a considerable risk in committing significant investment in upgrading the infrastructure for migration towards IP based networks in the current regulatory environment. Service providers who do not migrate to IP based networks face the risk of becoming less competitive, as their costs would be higher in comparison to an operator running a single converged network. Therefore, the migration to IP based network offers both a huge opportunity to service providers, as well as poses some risks.
     
    Major TSPs in India have implemented IP based core transport network for carrying voice and data traffic, by deploying IP/Ethernet elements extending into access and aggregation networks. Data networks are already IP/ Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) based, with major parts of the network being optical (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) or Ethernet instead of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)). The present world scenario indicates that IP has become a ubiquitous means of communication, and the total volume of packet-based network traffic has surpassed traditional voice (circuitswitched) network traffic.
     
    Full text of the Consultation Paper is available on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.

     

  • TRAI issues data related to activation, deactivation and complaints of VAS

    TRAI issues data related to activation, deactivation and complaints of VAS

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued data related to activation, deactivation and complaints of Value Added Services (VAS) w.e.f.1 January 2014 to 30 September 2014.

     

    The regulator has taken several measures to protect the interest of consumers from time to time to prohibit activation of value added services without the explicit consent of consumers. TRAI has also issued directions which prohibit activation of value added services without the explicit consent of the consumers and also prescribed the manner in which the explicit consent is to be obtained.

     

    TRAI has also made it simpler for the customers to deactivate the VAS through a common toll- free number (155223) accessible through SMS or call across all operators. If any value added service is activated without the consent of a consumer, he may request the service provider for deactivation of such service on toll free Number 155223.

     

    Activation of VAS is continuously monitored by TRAI. The details of total Value Added Services activated, deactivated and complaints received during the year 2014 are given as per Annexure-I.

     

    The directions issued on VAS from time to time are also available on the TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.

  • No MSO carrying more than 386 TV channels in first quarter of fiscal 2014-15: TRAI

    No MSO carrying more than 386 TV channels in first quarter of fiscal 2014-15: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: The maximum number of TV channels being carried by any reporting multi-system operator in the first quarter ending June 2014 of the current fiscal is 386, according to a report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

     In conventional analogue form, the maximum number of channels being carried by any reporting MSO is 100.

     There were a total of 186 pay channels as reported by broadcasters for which the wholesale channels rates have been taken on record.

     During the quarter ending June 2014, the distribution of “Fox Sports News” channel was discontinued by the broadcaster.

     Apart from All India Radio, there are 243 private FM Radio stations in operation at the quarter ending June, 2014, according to information supplied by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

     TRAI said no new DTH license was issued during the quarter ending June 2014.

     At present apart from the Freedish DTH service of Doordarshan, there are six private DTH Operators. All the six private DTH Operators are offering pay DTH services.

     The total number of registered subscribers and active subscribers being served by these six private DTH operators, as reported to TRAI, are 67.57 million and 38.24 million respectively as on 30 June 2014.

     The total number of Internet subscribers has increased from 251.59 million at the end of Mar-14 to 259.14 million at the end of Jun-14 there has been a quarterly growth of 3.00 per cent. Out of which wired internet subscribers are 18.55 million and wireless internet subscribers are 240.60 million.

     Number of broadband internet subscribers increased from 60.87 million at the end of March to 68.83 million at the end of June with quarter growth of 13.07 per cent.

     The number of narrowband internet subscribers has slightly declined from 190.72 million at the end of March to 190.31 million at the end of June with quarterly growth of -0.21 per cent.

     The license fee increased from Rs 3286 crore for the QE March to Rs 3503 crore for the QE June. The quarterly and the year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth rates of license fee are 6.62% and 13.30 per cent, respectively in this quarter.

     Access services contributed 78.48  per cent of the total Adjusted Gross Revenue of telecom services. In access services, gross revenue, adjusted gross revenue (AGR), license fee and spectrum usage charges increased by 4.64 per cent, 7.81 per cent, 7.62 per cent and 8.61 per cent,  respectively, whereas Pass Through Charges decreased by 2.96 per cent in QE June.

     

    The Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for Access Services based on AGR increased from Rs 115.28 in QE March to Rs122.39 in QE June.

     Monthly Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for GSM service increased by 4.84%, from Rs113 in QE March to Rs 119 in QE June, whereas Y-O-Y increase of 6.72%.

     Prepaid ARPU for GSM service per month increased from Rs 99 in QE March to Rs 104 in QE June, and Postpaid ARPU per month increased from Rs 453 in QE March to Rs 469 in QE June.

     On an all India average, the overall MOU per subscriber per month for GSM service increased by 0.42% from 389 in QE March to Rs 390 in QE June.

    Prepaid MOU per subscriber for GSM service increased from 365 in QE March to 366 in QE June and postpaid MOUs increased from Rs 957 in QE March to Rs 961 in QE June.

     The Monthly ARPU for CDMA full mobility service increased by 6.22%, from Rs 105 in QE March to Rs 112 in QE June. ARPU for CDMA has increased by 13.4% on Y-O-Y basis in this

     

  • TRAI asked to rework on spectrum auction policy by Telecom Commission

    TRAI asked to rework on spectrum auction policy by Telecom Commission

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Commission is understood to have asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to rework its policy with regard to spectrum auction.

     
    The directive follows study by an internal committee of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which rejected the regulator’s recommendation to conduct the next round of auction after keeping enough spectrum.
     

    TRAI in its recommendations had said the government should release enough spectrum before the next round of auction which is slated to take place before March 2015. TRAI has the support of major telecom operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communications.
     

    The DoT internal committee has said it is not clear when additional spectrum will be vacated by the Defence Ministry. The DoT committee feels that there is no point in stalling the sale of what is already available
     

    In its recommendation, TRAI said the Defence Ministry should vacate the spectrum in the 2,100 MHz band. In addition, TRAI proposed that Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Limited should surrender 1.2 MHz spectrum in the 900 MHz band.
     

    The amount of spectrum being put up for auction early next year is less than the 2G spectrum currently being used by mobile operators whose licenses are due for renewal and this may lead to problems, observers in the telecom industry said.

     

  • TRAI to host open house meet on broadband issues and how this can be speeded

    TRAI to host open house meet on broadband issues and how this can be speeded

    NEW DELHI: An Open House Discussion (OHD) will be held next week on how broadband can be delivered quickly and what the stakeholders or the government needs to do for this. The OHD is being organised in the capital on 30 October by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on a Consultation Paper issued earlier by it on this subject.

     

    It had earlier sought comments by 14 October and counter-comments by 21 October on the questions raised by it. In the paper, TRAI had asked what immediate measures were required to promote wireline technologies in access networks and how the cost per line for various wireline technologies can be minimised.

     

    It also wanted to know the impediments to the deployment of wireless technologies in the access network. Referring to its recommendations on Microwave backhaul, it asked whether there were any other issues which needed to be addressed to ensure availability of sufficient Microwave backhaul capacity for the growth of broadband in the country.

     

    The pricing of Domestic Leased Circuits (DLC) was reviewed in July 2014 and the Regulator wanted to know if there were any other issues which can improve availability of DLC. It sought the specific reasons that Internet Service Providers are proactively not connecting with NIXI, the National Internet Exchange of India.

     

    It asked if the hosting of content within the country help in reduction of the cost of broadband to a subscriber. It also wondered if public sector units were ideal choices for implementing the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project.

     

    It also wanted to know if it is possible to piggyback on the existing private sector access networks so as to minimize costs in reaching remote rural locations. In this connection, it sought views on the major issues in obtaining right of way for laying optical fibre.

     

    TRAI wondered if the Government should consider framing guidelines to mandate compulsory deployment of duct space for fibre/telecommunications cables and space for telecommunication towers in all major physical infrastructure construction projects such as building or upgrading highways, inter-city metros, railways or sewer networks.

     

    What were the impediments to the provision of Broadband by Cable operators, the regulator asked and whether there were any regulatory issues in providing internet facility through Wi-Fi Hotspots.

     

    TRAI, which recently gave its views on spectrum and also sought some clarifications from the Department of Telecom, asked how much spectrum would be required in the immediate future and in the long term to meet the target of broadband penetration.