NEW DELHI: Telecom companies on Monday attacked ‘Over the Top’ (OTT) service providers like WhatsApp, Facebook and Skype, and sought that they should be subject to same stringent safeguards as telcos, especially on lawful interception and data localisation aspects.
In an open house discussion on ‘regulatory framework for OTT Communications Services’ held by telecom regulator Trai on Monday, telecom operators asserted that some of the popular OTTs offering voice and messaging services are “perfect substitutes” to services provided by telcos and hence need to be regulated to avoid an imbalance in the sector. It is also to be noted that in the past, telcos have blamed OTTs for eating up their revenue and profitability.
COAI Director General Rajan S. Mathews said that that operators have lost revenue as a result of the service being offered by certain OTT providers. Popular OTTs provide voice call, video call and message service through-out the globe at almost free of cost if one has an internet connection.
Bharti Airtel’s Chief Regulatory Officer Ravi Gandhi said that the OTT communications services are “perfect substitutes” for services offered by telecom companies, and hence same service same rules should apply.
A representative of OTTS hit back by saying such apps are already regulated under the Information Technology Act (IT Act) and any further control would only stifle innovation and growth.
TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma told reporters that the authority is careful to ensure that there are no regulatory overlaps or conflicts. Sharma said that TRAI will finalise, in a month, views on whether OTT services should be brought under the regulatory ambit.
TRAI to finalise views in a month
TRAI chairman R S Sharma also told reporters that the authority is careful to ensure that there are no regulatory overlaps or conflicts. Sharma said that TRAI will finalise, in a month, views on whether OTT services should be brought under the regulatory ambit.