The Hindu : TRAI to submit recommendations within time-frame

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 12, 2003

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TRAI to submit recommendations within time-frame

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 11. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today said its recommendations on a level-playing field between cellular and basic phone companies would be submitted to the Government within the time-frame of four months stipulated by the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

On Friday, while upholding the legality of wireless in local loop (WLL)-based limited mobility services (WLL-M), the TDSAT had asked the TRAI to make several changes in the licence conditions of fixed service providers (FSPs) and cellular companies.

TRAI officials said these changes would be made in ``letter and spirit of the judgment'' and in a transparent manner by seeking the views of all the stake-holders concerned. The consultation paper on all the issues that require amendments would be released in two weeks, they added.

The TRAI would have to ensure that WLL (M) mobility remains restricted to the SDCA (local calling area) and no handover from one SDCA to another is allowed under any circumstances.

Analysts believe policing is possible in this respect through installation of appropriate software.

Determining the quantum of additional entry fee to be charged from FSPs over and above what they are currently paying to the Government would be more problematic.

The TDSAT had held that since WLL(M) is a value addition which has a definite impact on the level-playing conditions, imposition of additional fee is justified. The TRAI would also have to fix spectrum charges for FSPs who require additional airwaves for providing better quality of services. Discussions would also have to be held on increasing the access charge retention ceiling of five per cent to a reasonable level for cellular companies.

This exercise would run parallel to a more extensive one undertaken by the TRAI a short while back to usher unified licensing by merging basic, cellular, national long distance and international long distance licences. Thus, while TRAI will frame one set of recommendations on unified licensing it will also come out with fresh guidelines on terms and conditions for separately operating WLL(M) and cellular services.

Meanwhile, the executive committee of cellular companies, which have positioned themselves as the aggrieved party in the dispute, is scheduled to meet tomorrow to take stock of the situation.

The Cellular Operators Association of India's (COAI) first priority will be to track the TRAI's attempts to create a level-playing field between FSPs and cellular companies.

Its endeavour would be to ensure that curbs on limited mobility and additional fee for FSPs are implemented as soon as possible. COAI is interacting with lawyers to ascertain whether it would be prudent to approach the Supreme Court against the verdict since it has been pressing for a total ban on WLL(M) and not some sops that have been ordered by the TDSAT.

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