The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued new licensing recommendations under the Telecommunications Act of 2023, endorsing a “One Nation One Authorisation” framework.

It has come to notice that these recommendations exclude over-the-top (OTT) platforms like Google, Telegram, and WhatsApp from the new licensing rules, concentrating solely on satellite services and telecom infrastructure sharing.

Telecom companies had advocated for OTT services to be regulated on par with traditional telecom operators to ensure fair competition. However, industry groups like the Broadband India Forum (BIF), NASSCOM, and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) argue that OTT platforms are already regulated under the Information Technology Act of 2000.

This reasoning falls in line with former telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s clarification that OTT apps are governed by the IT Act, not the Telecom Act.

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In its latest recommendations, TRAI has suggested that satellite-based services should be allowed to offer calling and messaging features, for the expansion of the telecommunications landscape. The authority is also encouraging the sharing of both active and passive infrastructure among service providers to improve efficiency and lower operational costs.

Additionally, TRAI has proposed reducing entry fees and classifying services into three categories: main service authorisations, auxiliary service authorisations, and captive service authorisations. It has recommended that the central government issue service authorisations based on predefined criteria rather than through entity-specific agreements.