New Delhi, Telecom regulator TRAI has sought views of stakeholders on whether charges should be levied to ensure judicious and efficient utilization of existing and newly allocated numbering resources.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has also indicated that it will consider imposing financial sanctions for telecom service providers who retain unused allotted numbers beyond the prescribed time limit, and sought views of stakeholders on the issue. Are.
TRAI, in its recent consultation paper – 'Revision of the National Numbering Scheme' – has said that numbers represent a highly valuable public resource which is not infinite.
As of now, Telecommunication Identifier (TI) resources for both mobile and fixed-line services are allocated free of charge to service providers.
Ownership of the numbering space remains with the government, which provides service providers with usage rights over the assigned numbering resource during the tenure of their licenses.However, TRAI said that merely following strict norms for allocating numbering resources cannot ensure judicious and efficient utilization of freely allocated numbering resources by service providers.
"One way to ensure judicious and efficient utilization of any limited public resource is to levy charges while allocating it," TRAI said in a consultation paper circulated recently. Penal provisions introduced for those holding underutilized numbering resources By doing this, efficient utilization can be further ensured." ,
In some countries, numbering resources are allocated on a fee basis, which includes categories such as mobile numbering resources, vanity numbers, and numbers for national interest.
It reads, “Therefore, it may be prudent for TSPs to consider charging a nominal fee in lieu of the numbering resource allocated to them.,
Possible mechanisms for charging these resources include imposing a lump sum fee per number or per numbering resource block being allocated; Levy of annual recurring fee for each numbering resource allocated to the service provider, including numbers that are inactive but pending re-use of pre-allocation; Or allocating the numbering series for free, except for vanity numbers, with the government holding a centralized auction for vanity numbers.
Another possible mechanism mentioned by TRAI in the consultation paper is to impose certain financial disincentives (FDs) on telecom companies that retain a certain percentage or more of unutilized allocated resources beyond a certain time limit.
"Provision may also be made to hand over some of the contiguous unused numbering resources allocated to TSPs back to DoT," it said.
However, TRAI also highlighted the other aspect, saying that the imposition of the fee may also have some negative aspects.
“A major disadvantage is the possibility of charges being passed on to customers by service providers,” TRAI said.In view of the above, the Authority seeks the views of the stakeholders on the following questions..."
TRAI has asked "whether charges should be levied to ensure efficient utilization of existing and newly allocated TI resources" and if so, what should be the charging mechanism and applicable charges.
"Should financial sanctions be imposed on TSPs for retaining Please, specify." Said.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has also indicated that it will consider imposing financial sanctions for telecom service providers who retain unused allotted numbers beyond the prescribed time limit, and sought views of stakeholders on the issue. Are.
TRAI, in its recent consultation paper – 'Revision of the National Numbering Scheme' – has said that numbers represent a highly valuable public resource which is not infinite.
As of now, Telecommunication Identifier (TI) resources for both mobile and fixed-line services are allocated free of charge to service providers.
Ownership of the numbering space remains with the government, which provides service providers with usage rights over the assigned numbering resource during the tenure of their licenses.However, TRAI said that merely following strict norms for allocating numbering resources cannot ensure judicious and efficient utilization of freely allocated numbering resources by service providers.
"One way to ensure judicious and efficient utilization of any limited public resource is to levy charges while allocating it," TRAI said in a consultation paper circulated recently. Penal provisions introduced for those holding underutilized numbering resources By doing this, efficient utilization can be further ensured." ,
In some countries, numbering resources are allocated on a fee basis, which includes categories such as mobile numbering resources, vanity numbers, and numbers for national interest.
It reads, “Therefore, it may be prudent for TSPs to consider charging a nominal fee in lieu of the numbering resource allocated to them.,
Possible mechanisms for charging these resources include imposing a lump sum fee per number or per numbering resource block being allocated; Levy of annual recurring fee for each numbering resource allocated to the service provider, including numbers that are inactive but pending re-use of pre-allocation; Or allocating the numbering series for free, except for vanity numbers, with the government holding a centralized auction for vanity numbers.
Another possible mechanism mentioned by TRAI in the consultation paper is to impose certain financial disincentives (FDs) on telecom companies that retain a certain percentage or more of unutilized allocated resources beyond a certain time limit.
"Provision may also be made to hand over some of the contiguous unused numbering resources allocated to TSPs back to DoT," it said.
However, TRAI also highlighted the other aspect, saying that the imposition of the fee may also have some negative aspects.
“A major disadvantage is the possibility of charges being passed on to customers by service providers,” TRAI said.In view of the above, the Authority seeks the views of the stakeholders on the following questions..."
TRAI has asked "whether charges should be levied to ensure efficient utilization of existing and newly allocated TI resources" and if so, what should be the charging mechanism and applicable charges.
"Should financial sanctions be imposed on TSPs for retaining Please, specify." Said.
