TRAI asks DoT to consider recommendations
TRAI had given recommendations to Government in December last year on Measures to promote competition in International Private Leased Circuits (IPLC).
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: With a view to facilitating easy availability of international bandwidth and bringing effective competition in its prices, telecom regulator TRAI has asked the Department of Telecom to consider its recommendations at the earliest.
"I request that TRAI's recommendations pertaining to access to essential facilities at Cable Landing Stations (CLS) may be considered at the earliest," TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra said in a letter to DoT Secretary D S Mathur.
TRAI had given recommendations to Government in December last year on Measures to promote competition in International Private Leased Circuits (IPLC).
The regulator had recommended an equal access to essential facilities at the CLS by the licensed operators, it said, adding that the access at the CLS should also include landing facilities for submarine cables.
The international long distance service providers (ILDOs), TRAI had said, owning the CLS should be made mandated to publish the terms and conditions for all such access provision, with prior approval of the regulator.
TRAI's letter to DoT assumes significance in the wake of the ongoing fight between Reliance Communication owned FLAG Cable System and Tata-owned VSNL which owns the CLS.
In view of the changed scenario where easy norms have been prescribed for the ILD segment, it is imperative to have economically cost-based access to CLS's so that more and more capacity can be utilized by the operators and various telecom services including IPLC are available to consumers at lower tariffs, TRAI said.
It said in the countries where there is enough competition in the ILD segment, the regulators have mandated cost-based access to various facilities at submarine CLS through Reference Interconnect Offer.
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