Latest news with #Trai
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Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Trai meets RBI, Sebi, MHA, Meity, other regulators on curbing spam, fraud
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday met representatives from the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and other sectoral regulators to discuss measures against spam, fraud, and misuse of telecom infrastructure. "In an increasingly digitalised world, cross-sectoral collaboration among regulators is crucial for the coordinated enablement of services and the protection of consumers from harm. In a digital-first economy, collaboration among financial sector regulators, digital communication regulators, and security agencies becomes paramount," Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said. During the meeting on Tuesday, the joint committee of regulators decided that, although there was an urgent need for a transition to the 1600-series for all commercial calls in the banking, financial services, and insurance sector, it should be implemented in a phased manner, depending on the scale of operations of the companies in that sector. Further, the regulators launched a pilot project on digital consent acquisition to replace unverifiable, offline consent with a secure digital mechanism for user consent on commercial calls and messages. 'The new mechanism will enable consumers to digitally register, review, and revoke consents through a simple, unified, and tamper-proof interface. Four dedicated working groups will oversee the technical, operational, and awareness-building aspects of the pilot,' Trai said. Additionally, the joint committee of regulators discussed the need for a new enforcement tool that would enable the automated exchange of spam and cyber-fraud data between the MHA's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and the Digital Intelligence Platform of the DoT. 'This will enable swift action against the telecom resources of the fraudsters, such as number disconnection, to prevent them from carrying out further frauds,' Trai said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Breather for telecom operators from paying Rs 141 cr penalty over spam
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: India's telecom operators need not pay penalties to the tune of ₹141 crore till August 8 for failing to control spam. The regulator had levied the fines on the telcos, but Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has put off the payments till the next date of hearing in the the matter till next month, the tribunal had at a hearing Thursday asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to submit an affidavit on the sides presented their arguments during the hearing. As Trai has to share further information, the tribunal asked the counsel for the regulator to file an affidavit containing the requisite regulator had levied penalties on all three private telcos-Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea-as well as state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for failing to control the private operators had challenged the move, arguing that the regulator should not have levied the penalties when an anti-spam platform was still in the process of had stayed Trai's penalties in fines were levied as part of the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR). The telcos argue that the delay in implementation of spam control measures was caused due to Covid and that they were not responsible for support their point, the telcos submitted details to the TDSAT stating that when Trai imposed the penalties, the digital consent acquisition (DCA) platform was still being staying the penalties in its January 28 order, the TDSAT had observed that telecom firms were not responsible for the delay in implementation of the regulations, including the DCA."Thus, it is unfair and arbitrary on the part of the respondent to impose financial disincentives on the appellants (telcos) for something which was beyond their control," TDSAT had said in the levying of penalties on telecom firms as part of the TCCCPR has been a point of dispute between the regulator and the telcos. While the regulator has been imposing penalties on telcos, it has not realised any money as operators contended that they should not be held accountable for something which they don't control or to get the amount itself, the regulator had even asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to encash the bank guarantees of the companies to recover the amount. But DoT has not agreed to the request.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Telcos get temporary relief in ₹141-crore spam penalty case
New Delhi: India's telecom operators won't need to pay penalties to the tune of around ₹141 crore levied by regulator for not being able to control spam till August 8, the next date of hearing on the case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal ( TDSAT ). The telecom tribunal, at a hearing Thursday, adjourned the matter till August 8, and asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai ) to submit an affidavit on the matter. During the hearing, both sides presented their arguments. As Trai has to share further information, the tribunal asked the counsel for the regulator to file an affidavit containing the requisite details. The regulator had levied penalties on all three private telcos - Reliance Jio , Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea as well as state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) - for failing to control spam. However, the operators had challenged the penalties, arguing that the regulator should not have levied the penalties when an anti-spam platform was still in the process of development. TDSAT had stayed the Trai's penalties in January. The fines were levied as part of the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations , 2018 (TCCCPR). The telcos argue that the delays in implementation of spam control measures were caused due to Covid and they were not responsible for the delay. To support their point, the telcos submitted details to the TDSAT stating that when Trai imposed the penalties, the digital consent acquisition (DCA) platform was still being deployed. While staying the penalties in its January 28 order, the TDSAT had observed that telecom firms were not responsible for the delay in implementation of the regulations, including the DCA. 'Thus, it is unfair and arbitrary on the part of the respondent to impose financial disincentives on the appellants (telcos) for something which was beyond their control,' TDSAT said in the January order. The levying of penalties on telecom firms as part of the TCCCPR has been a bone of contention between the regulators and telcos. While the regulator has been imposing penalties on telcos, it has not realised any money as operators contended that they should not be held accountable for something which they don't control or perpetuate. Failing to get the amount itself, the regulator had even asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to encash the bank guarantees of the companies to recover the amount. But the DoT has not agreed to the request of Trai. The regulator has been strengthening the TCCCPR rules, but the telcos argue that since key stakeholders like telemarketers, over the top (OTT) have been kept out of the purview of the rules, there won't be desired results to curb spam.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
TDSAT halts ₹141 cr spam penalties on telcos, next hearing on August 8
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's top three private telcos won't need to pay penalties to the tune of around Rs 141 crore levied by regulator for not being able to control spam till August 8, the next date of hearing on the case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).The telecom tribunal, at a hearing Thursday, adjourned the matter till August 8, and asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to submit an affidavit on the the hearing, both sides presented their arguments. As Trai has to share further information, the tribunal asked the counsel for the regulator to file an affidavit containing the requisite regulator had levied penalties on all three private telcos - Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea - for failing to control spam. However, the operators had challenged the penalties, arguing that the regulator should not have levied the penalties when an anti-spam platform was still in the process of development. TDSAT had stayed the Trai's penalties in fines were levied as part of the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR). The telcos argue that the delays in implementation of spam control measures were caused due to Covid and they were not responsible for the support their point, the telcos submitted details to the TDSAT stating that when Trai imposed the penalties, the digital consent acquisition (DCA) platform was still being staying the penalties in its January 28 order, the TDSAT had observed that telecom firms were not responsible for the delay in implementation of the regulations, including the DCA.'Thus, it is unfair and arbitrary on the part of the respondent to impose financial disincentives on the appellants (telcos) for something which was beyond their control,' TDSAT said in the January levying of penalties on telecom firms as part of the TCCCPR has been a bone of contention between the regulators and telcos. While the regulator has been imposing penalties on telcos, it has not realised any money as operators contended that they should not be held accountable for something which they don't control or to get the amount itself, the regulator had even asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to encash the bank guarantees of the companies to recover the amount. But the DoT has not agreed to the request of regulator has been strengthening the TCCCPR rules, but the telcos argue that since key stakeholders like telemarketers, over the top (OTT) have been kept out of the purview of the rules, there won't be desired results to curb spam.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Stay tuned, satcom services may come to you by year-end
Mumbai | New Delhi: Satellite communication services could be commercially launched in India by December, according to industry executives, with three major players - Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb , Reliance Jio-SES and Elon Musk-owned Starlink - having secured the necessary permits and clearances and the government working on finalising terms of allocating spectrum. "Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) had given its recommendation in May. The DoT (Department of Telecommunications) typically takes two to three months on the outer side to come back with its recommendations and present it to the DCC (Digital Communications Commission)," a senior executive at one of the satcom companies, which has secured all the permits, said on condition of anonymity. "Once the DCC gives its approval, it needs to be vetted by the cabinet. Then the DoT needs to come out with its rules for allotment. Optimistically, the government is likely to be in a position to give spectrum by October." After spectrum allotment, it would take around a month to start commercial services, according to two executives. "We are looking at a November-end or December timeline (for launch of commercial services) at an optimistic level," said the first executive. Eutelsat OneWeb, Jio-SES and Starlink didn't respond to ET's queries. On Wednesday, US-based Starlink became the third satcom operator after Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio-SES JV to get a clearance from the space regulator, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), to start commercial satcom services in the country. Starlink received its Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) permit last month. Two other global satcom services firms - Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon Kuiper and Apple's satcom partner Globalstar - are awaiting approvals from the Indian authorities. India's space economy has a potential to hit $44 billion by 2033 and account for about 8% of the global share, as per IN-SPACe. The country's annual satcom business revenue opportunity is pegged at $1 billion. The DoT is expected to finalise pricing and rules for allocating satellite spectrum administratively, having receiving recommendations from Trai after a bitter fight between telcos, which wanted the satcom spectrum to be auctioned, and satcom companies such as Starlink and Amazon Kuiper, which wanted the airwaves to be allotted administratively. The government and Trai have since decided on administrative allocation. "We don't believe any of the players will have a head start in launching commercial services. Since Airtel and Jio are also partners of Starlink, we expect all three (Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES) to start at the same time because that makes sense from a technical, commercial and a compliance standpoint," said Rohan Dhamija, partner and head of India & Middle East at Analysys Mason. Jio and Bharti Airtel, part of the Bharti Group, which is a large shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, have marketing tie-ups with Starlink. Conceding that Jio-SES and Eutelsat OneWeb have lost out on the chance for a head start in offering satcom in India, a senior executive at one of the two firms said India also lost out in the process.
