News Analysis India

Tag: trai

  • TRAI Extends Deadline To Receive Comments On Consultation Paper Auction Of Spectrum In 37-43.5 GHz Bands Identified For IMT |

    New Delhi: Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the last date to receive comments/counter comments on Consultation Paper ‘Auction of Spectrum in 37-37.5 GHz, 37.5-40 GHz and 42.5-43.5 GHz bands Identified for IMT’

    “Keeping in view the request of Industry Associations for further extension of time for submission of comments and counter comments, it has been decided to extend the last date for furnishing written comments and counter comments to 24th May 2024 and 6th June 2024, respectively. No further requests for an extension of time will be considered,” DOT said in a release. 

    DoT through its letter dated 02.08.2023 had requested  Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to provide recommendations on applicable reserve price, band plan, block size, quantum of spectrum to be auctioned and associated conditions for auction of spectrum, inter-alia, in 37-37.5 GHz, 37.5-40 GHz, and 42.5-43.5 GHz bands including the regulatory technical requirements as enunciated in the relevant provisions of the latest NFAP/Radio Regulations of the ITU. 

    In this regard, the TRAI released a Consultation Paper on ‘Auction of Spectrum in 37-37.5 GHz, 37.5-40 GHz and 42.5-43.5 GHz bands Identified for IMT’ on 04.04.2024. Initially, the last date for receiving written comments and counter comments from stakeholders on the issues raised in the Consultation Paper was fixed as 02.05.2024 and 16.05.2024, respectively. However, on the request of industry and associations, the last date for furnishing comments and counter comments was extended by two weeks, that is, up to 16.05.2024 and 30.05.2024, respectively. 

     

  • Getting Fake Calls Threatening To Disconnect Your Mobile On Behalf Of DoT/TRAI? Report At THESE Numbers |

    New Delhi: Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued an advisory to citizens to not to take fake calls being received by the citizens wherein callers are threatening to disconnect their mobile numbers, or their mobile numbers are being misused in some illegal activities. DoT said that it does not make calls to citizens threatening disconnection.

    The DoT had also issued advisory about WhatsApp calls from foreign origin mobile numbers (like +92-xxxxxxxxxx) impersonating government officials and duping the people.

    Cyber criminals through such calls try to threaten or steal personal information to carry out cyber-crime/financial frauds. 

    Where To Report Fake Calls?

    The DoT/TRAI said it does not authorise anyone to make such call on its behalf and has advised people to stay vigilant and report such fraud communications at ‘Chakshu – Report Suspected Fraud Communications’ facility of Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc). Such proactive reporting helps DoT in prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cyber-crime, financial frauds, etc.

    The DoT also advises citizens to report at cyber-crime helpline number 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in in case of already a victim of cyber-crime or financial fraud.

    Various measures have been taken to combat suspected fraud communications and to curb cybercrime activities. Under CHAKSHU facility, 52 Principal Entities, involved in sending malicious and phishing SMSs to the citizens have been blacklisted. 700 SMS content templates have been deactivated. 348 mobile handsets blacklisted on pan- India basis across all telecom operators.

    10,834 suspected mobile numbers flagged for re-verification to the telecom operators out of which 8272 mobile connections disconnected failing re-verification till 30th April 2024. 1.86 lakh mobile handsets blocked on pan India basis for involvement in cybercrime/financial frauds.

    Advisories have been issued on a regular basis for the public to create awareness on fake notices impersonating DoT/TRAI, suspected fraud communications and malicious calls via press, SMS, and social media, said DoT.

     

  • Some broadcasters exploiting a-la-carte pricing of TV channels, will keep strict watch: TRAI

    Driver channels include general entertainment channels (GEC) and sports channels. The telecom regulator, however, did not name any broadcaster.

  • Bombay HC upholds constitutional validity of TRAI’s tariff order of 2020

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutional validity of a tariff order passed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) last year, but struck down one condition which said the price of a single channel cannot be more than one-third of the highest priced channel in that bouquet.

    A division bench of Justices Amjad Sayyed and Anuja Prabhudessai passed the judgement on a bunch of petitions filed by several broadcasters, like the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, a representative body of TV broadcasters, the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, Zee Entertainment Ltd and Sony Pictures Network India.

    On January 1, 2020, the TRAI issued new tariff rules by which the Network Capacity Fee (NCF) price was lowered, benefitting consumers. Previously, a sum of Rs 130 was applicable for all free-to-air channels and consumers needed to pay more in order to watch additional channels.

    After the amendments to the broadcast sector tariffs, consumers will pay Rs 130 as NCF charge, but will be entitled to get 200 channels. Changes were also mandated to be made in the price of individual channels.

    The petitions said the new regulations were “arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of their fundamental right”.

    On Wednesday, the high court disposed of the petitions and said, “The challenge to the constitutional validity of the 2020 rules and regulations of TRAI fails. One condition related to the average pricing of a channel in a bouquet is arbitrary and hence is struck down.”

    As per this condition, the a-la-carte rates of each pay channel (MRP), forming part of a bouquet, shall in no case exceed three times the average rate of a pay channel of that bouquet.

    The petitioners requested the court to extend its earlier orders of August and October last year directing the TRAI to not take any coercive steps against the stakeholders for some time, so that they could study the judgment and decide their future course of action.

    The court then sought to know if the other stakeholders, who have not approached the HC in challenge, have implemented the new regulations. Senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond and advocate Ashish Pyasi, appearing for TRAI, said the other stakeholders have already implemented the rules.

    “The interim order passed earlier asking the TRAI not to take any coercive steps is extended for a period of six weeks,” the court said. The TRAI had defended its regulation, saying it was a consumer-friendly measure and aimed at ensuring ensure transparency and non-discrimination in channel rates.

  • TRAI launches TV Channel Selector web portal for people to check, modify subscription 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday launched a TV Channel Selector web portal on Wednesday for consumers who could not access its mobile phone app of the same name due to lack of a smartphone.

    The TV Channel Selector App for smartphone was launched on June 25 last year that enabled users to check their subscription, modify it, view all channels provided by their cable operators and choose channels of interest.

    “TRAI has now developed TV Channel Selector web portal also to facilitate subscribers who don’t own smart phone or wish to use web browsers. The prominent feature of both app and portal is optimisation of the subscription before it is sent to the DTH /cable operator, so that subscribers can get the best value for money,” the authority said in its notification.

    It also said the portal has all the existing features of the app along with download facility and will help subscribers to check their own subscription, view all channels and bouquets provided by their DTH and cable operators, and choose only channels of interest and remove the unwanted ones.

    The portal will help subscribers “get optimised solutions and the best combination of user selected channels/bouquets in same or less price”.

    TRAI said the portal will help subscribers modify their subscription, check real time status of subscription request, add channels in the applicable NCF (network capacity fee) and download and print current subscription.

    “The users may provide feedback by clocking the ‘Feedback’ option available on the issue/feedback menu on the portal. Both the TV Channel Selector app and portal are presently functional with 16 DTH and cable operators. However, efforts are being made to integrate other service providers whose system are capable to communicate through API (Application Program Interface) with this platform,” TRAI said.

  • Strictly implement regulations to curb unsolicited commercial calls, HC tells Trai

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed telecom regulator Trai to ensure “complete and strict” implementation of the regulation issued by it in 2018 for curbing unsolicited commercial communications (UCC).

    The high court also directed the telecom service providers (TSPs), which included state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone, to ensure they strictly comply with the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preferences Regulations (TCCCPR) 2018 issued by Trai.

    With these directions, a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh disposed of a plea by One97 Communications Ltd, which runs online payment platform Paytm, alleging that telecom operators are not blocking “phishing” activities over various mobile networks.

    Phishing is a cyber crime where people are contacted by e-mail, phone calls or text messages by someone posing as a legitimate representative of an organisation to lure them to part with their sensitive data, including banking and credit card details and passwords.

    The direction by the bench came after senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for One97 Communications, told the court that it may dispose of the matter by directing Trai and the TSPs to implement and comply with the TCCCP Regulations.

    The counsels for the TSPs, during the brief hearing, told the bench that they were complying with the regulations and would continue to do so.

    The bench, thereafter, said, “We direct Respondent 2 (Trai) to ensure complete and strict implementation of the TCCCP Regulations of 2018 and other related regulations issued from time to time to prevent unsolicited commercial communications over the networks of the TSPs.

    “We expect Respondent 2 to strictly implement the regulations and in case of any violation, action would be initiated in accordance with the regulations”.

    In November last year, Trai had told the court that it has imposed financial disincentives ranging from Rs 34,000 to Rs 30 crore on telecom companies like BSNL, Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone for not preventing UCC over their networks between April to June 2020.

    The submission by Trai had come pursuant to the court’s direction in September 2020 to start taking action in accordance with law against unregistered entities and those persons not complying with its regulations to curb the problem of UCCs.

    Paytm, in its plea filed through advocate Karuna Nandy, had claimed that millions of its customers have been defrauded by the phishing activities over the mobile networks and the failure of the telecom companies to prevent the same has “caused financial and reputational loss” to it for which it had also sought damages of Rs 100 crore from them.

    Paytm had contended that the telecom majors are violating their obligations under the TCCCPR 2018.