Extra telecom services don’t need separate licences: Regulator
January 14th, 2009 - 9:34 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) Providers of value-added telecom services (VAS) do not require separate licences, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said Wednesday, a point of view that has come as a big relief to many firms.”The authority does not envisage any separate category of licence for value-added services,” TRAI said in a recommendation paper.
VAS includes services that add value to standard voice calls - such as ring tones, caller ring-back tones, video games, imagery, jokes and information services.
Such services constitute about 10 percent of revenue for telecom service providers. According to TRAI estimates, revenue through VAS is expected to cross Rs.250 billion ($5 billion) by 2009-10.
Currently, VAS providers are neither regulated nor licensed.
However, there is a requirement for uniformity in licences and amendment of various access service licence agreements to push the growth of VAS, particularly in second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) mobile services, TRAI said.
The regulator further said it may issue guidelines on best practices to protect the interest of consumers.
TRAI has invited stakeholders to respond to the draft recommendations by Jan 20.
- Value-added services content subject to regulation: TRAI - Feb 13, 2009
- Telecom regulator seeks views on value added services - Mar 30, 2011
- Maintain quality of service: TRAI to operators - Mar 26, 2012
- Birla wrote letter to PM: Ex-telecom regulator - Mar 16, 2012
- Telecom regulator amends value added services rules - Sep 04, 2009
- TRAI seeks views to boost mobile value added services - Jul 22, 2011
- Spectrum likely to be costlier for telecom firms - Nov 04, 2011
- Operators urge Sibal to auction total spectrum, reduce reserve price - Apr 27, 2012
- TRAI seeks initial response on 2G spectrum auction by Feb 15 - Feb 03, 2012
- Former telecom regulator testifies in 2G case - Feb 23, 2012
- IMImobile launches unique service - Jan 21, 2011
- TRAI recommends high base prices for 2G auction - Apr 23, 2012
- TRAI targets 100 mn broadband subscribers by 2014 - Dec 07, 2010
- TRAI mulls paper on operators' exit policy - Jan 06, 2012
- Don't treat 3G in continuation of 2G, TRAI said in 2006: Witness - Mar 15, 2012
Tags: 2g, access service, caller ring back, caller ring back tones, draft recommendations, extra telecom, mobile services, ring back tones, ring tones, second generation, service licence, telecom regulatory authority, telecom regulatory authority of india, telecom service providers, telecom services, third generation, trai, uniformity, value added services, vas providers