ITV

Tag: Open House Discussion

  • 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 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.

     

  • Additional time for comments on regulatory framework for platform services as Delhi OHD ends abruptly

    Additional time for comments on regulatory framework for platform services as Delhi OHD ends abruptly

    NEW DELHI: An Open House Meeting in New Delhi on issues relating to the regulatory framework for platform services operated by television distribution platform operators ended abruptly when a set of cable TV operators insisted that other problems relating to LCOs should also be discussed.

     

    TRAI chairman Rahul Khullar assured the operators that time would be given after the agenda items were over, but the meet was ended abruptly after 45 minutes when no heed was paid to his plea and because of ‘sustained disturbance’.

     

    Later, local cable operators held a demonstration outside the venue and also filed a police complaint against TRAI officials including Khullar, saying he first invited them but refused to listen to them, and called the police to keep them under control. They also alleged he was only interested in appeasing the broadcasters lobby. 

     

    TRAI later said the meetings for the other three regions – Mumbai on 12 September; Bangalore on 16 September; and Kolkata on 19 September – were constructive wherein not just the issues on the agenda but also other matters relating to development of the cable industry, including digitisation, were discussed.

     

    In view of the abrupt ending and to enable stakeholders to make other recommendations relating to the regulatory framework for platform services operated by TV distribution platform operators, TRAI has decided to permit stakeholders to give any additional comments by 29 September. Platform services include the local channels shown on cable TV.

     

    The meeting in Delhi, organised for the stakeholders in the Northern region, was the last of a series of four open house discussions organised in different parts of India.

     

    The four OHDs were to enable the Authority obtain first hand information regarding the views and opinions on the issues involved from a wide cross-section of the stakeholders.

     

    Representatives of the local cable operators; multi-system operators; broadcasters; DTH operators; HITS operators; content creators; consumer organisations, research institutions etc. came for the OHDs. 

     

  • TRAI to host open house meet on cable and TV tariff issues

    TRAI to host open house meet on cable and TV tariff issues

    NEW DELHI: An open house discussion on tariff issues related to broadcasting and cable television services for commercial subscribers will be held later this week in the capital.

     

    The discussion has been called by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 4 July.

     

    The meet is expected to be attended by senior officials of TRAI, Information and Broadcasting Ministry and stakeholders, apart from consumer organisations.

  • TRAI Consultation Paper on 800 MHz Spectrum wants stakeholders’ opinion on pricing

    TRAI Consultation Paper on 800 MHz Spectrum wants stakeholders’ opinion on pricing

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) of India has asked stakeholders for their views on whether the value of 800 MHz spectrum should be derived on the basis of the value of 1800 MHz spectrum using technical efficiency factors.

     

    It has also sought to know the block size in the 800 MHz band and what should be the quantum of spectrum in the 800 MHz band that should be put up for auction.

    It has also asked if there is any case for application of a lower efficiency factor (1.3) over the valuation of 1800 MHz spectrum, for determining the valuation of 800 MHz, as was done in the previous auction and give detailed reasons for the same.

     

    The stakeholders have been asked if the value to be paid for 800 MHz spectrum should be based upon the potential growth in data services.

     

    The questions have been asked in a Consultation Paper by TRAI on the Reserve Price of the Spectrum for 800 MHz in response to a query in this regard by the Department of Telecommunications on 12 December.

     

    Written Comments on the Consultation Paper are invited from the stakeholders by 15 January and counter-comments by 22 January. As the issue has to be decided urgently, no extension will be granted. Comments and counter-comments will be posted on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.

     

    Open House Discussion (OHD) on this consultation paper will be held on 27 January, 2014 in New Delhi. This may be treated as an advance notice for the OHD.

     

    Other questions include whether the value of spectrum in the 800 MHz band should be assessed on the basis of producer surplus on account of additional spectrum and reasons and calculations for the views given.

     

    TRAI also wants to know if the value of spectrum in the LSAs in India for 800 MHz should be determined by utilising the data on international prices or what other variables can be suggested for arriving at robust value estimates using the multiple regression approach.

     

    Apart from the approaches discussed in the paper, TRAI wants to know if there are any alternate approaches for valuation of spectrum in 800 MHz that you would suggest.

     

    It has also sought opinion on the ratio adopted between the reserve price for the auction and the valuation of the spectrum.