DoT seeks opinion from TRAI to regulate messaging apps like Whatsapp, Singal.

The Department of Telecom has sought the opinion of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to regulate internet calling and messaging apps. Giving information on Wednesday, a DoT official said that the Department of Telecommunications is preparing a framework to regulate Internet calling and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet and for this it has sought views from Trai. went.

The DoT last week sent back a recommendation of TRAI on Internet telephony issued in 2008 for review. After which, TRAI was instructed by the DoT to come up with a comprehensive reference related to the new technology and technical changes in it. According to the official, the DoT had rejected TRAI’s Internet telephony recommendation and now comprehensive references have been sought from TRAI for Internet telephony and over-the-top (OTT) also.

There is a demand to implement the same service-equal rule

In fact, the telecom operators are demanding the government to implement the principle of same service-same rule in the industry. Telecom operators say that internet calling and messaging apps should also pay license fees at par with telcos.

TRAI gave concession to telecom operators

In 2008, TRAI recommended allowing ISPs to provide Internet telephony, including calls, on the normal telephone network. TRAI had said that for this the ISP should pay the interconnection fee and install valid interception equipment as per the requirement of the security agencies. However, the government did not impose any restrictions on the calling and messaging services provided by the apps. Subsequently, in 2016-17 also, telecom operators had raised the issue of implementing the principle of same service-same rule. However, TRAI had reduced the interconnect usage charges somewhat, following the advice of the telecom operators. Whereas calling and messaging apps do not have to pay for interconnect usage for calling.