Telecom operators’ physique COAI on Tuesday made a robust pitch for OTT (over-the-top) communication providers to straight compensate telcos for knowledge site visitors they’re driving onto the networks, because it advocated a licensing and light-touch regulation framework for such providers.

Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) Director General SP Kochhar mentioned the affiliation, as a part of the draft telecom invoice, has given its options on how OTT communication providers must be outlined to make sure there is no such thing as a ambiguity.

Other points like precise monetary mannequin for OTT communication providers to compensate telecom service suppliers shall be made to the federal government going ahead as and when the nuances of framework for light-touch regulation is mentioned, Kochhar advised reporters at a briefing.

OTT communication providers embrace the likes of WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet, Telegram and different comparable apps.

In future, the identical precept of income share foundation knowledge consumption may be utilized to different OTTs (all classes) as properly, he added. For now, COAI’s options are confined to the realm of OTT communication apps, not your complete ecosystem, because the draft invoice mentions communication apps.

COAI maintained that KYC is an important requirement, be it for telcos or OTT communication providers.

Industry our bodies COAI and Broadband India Forum (BIF) had been locked in a pitched battle on the problem of remedy of OTTs whereas consultations on the draft telecom invoice was underway.

The telecom service suppliers, below the aegis of COAI, have been pushing for OTT communication providers to be introduced below regulation. COAI has been propagating ‘identical service identical guidelines’ for OTT communication providers and telcos, to make sure a degree taking part in subject.

On the opposite hand, digital think-tank BIF — which counts tech corporations comparable to Tata Consultancy Services, Cisco, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook-owner Meta as its key members — has warned that the regulation of OTT gamers may stifle the socioeconomic ecosystem and damage innovation.

COAI, in a notice outlining the latest submissions on the draft telecom invoice, mentioned: “The OTTs providing telecom services similar to telcos such as voice/video calling and messaging within the meaning of telecom Bill… be defined clearly, and the same regulatory and security obligations to be met by them as done by TSPs for providing similar services.” Alternatively, it mentioned, OTT communication service suppliers will pay on to the telcos to be used of their networks for offering providers “in a fair and equitable manner by way of an equivalent interconnect charge (say network access charge) for the actual traffic carried by these OTTs on TSPs network, which can be easily measured.” The contribution of OTTs to community prices may be primarily based on assessable standards comparable to quantity of site visitors, turnover threshold and variety of customers, amongst others.

COAI cited a report which estimated that 56 per cent of the worldwide knowledge site visitors on telcos’ community is from main OTTs. The affiliation additionally went on to counsel that OTT contribution to exchequer, if a levy is put in place, might be about Rs 800 crore.

“Since the telecom service providers will be receiving the revenue from OTTs as part of their telecom services rendered, they would automatically be paying licence fee to the Government (as part of TSP’s Adjusted Gross Revenue) on an incremental basis to the extent of the payments by OTTs to the TSPs,” COAI mentioned.

Other main suggestions of COAI — whose members embrace Reliance jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea — embrace discount of licence price from 3 per cent to 1 per cent, a transfer the affiliation says will make sure that extra funds can be found to gamers for rollout of networks. The suggestion on decreasing of levies can also be a part of COAI’s pre-Budget wishlist to the federal government.

COAI additional mentioned Internet shutdowns not solely have an effect on telcos’ Average Revenue Per User, but additionally the patron base.

“Non commercial infrastructure is also required to be set up by the telecom service providers in this regard, costing them. Reimbursement for the same to be considered by the Government,” COAI has prompt. There must be commonplace working procedures spelt out for such actions and accountability for a similar should lie with the officers initiating or supervising such actions, it famous.

Beside this, it mentioned, contributions in direction of the Telecom Development Fund must be met from budgetary allocation and from quantities collected by spectrum auctions as additionally “from contribution from entities that cause the traffic, that is, OTTs – streaming, gaming and social media companies”.

So far as safety of customers is worried, the “Bill may be extended to cover cyber or financial fraud or unsolicited commercial communications and may include a proviso to align the powers of Telecom Department on this issue with TRAI. Ideally there should be only one body regulating the issue,” COAI mentioned.

The draft telecom invoice seeks to switch three legal guidelines — the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.

The invoice proposes all Internet calling and messaging apps to adjust to the Know Your Customer (KYC) provisions once they come below the telecom regulation ambit.

The telecom division has additionally mooted a provision for the refund of charges in case a telecom or Internet supplier surrenders its licence.