core sector communique

TRAI issues ‘Intelligent Network Services in Multi Operator and Multi Network Scenario (Amendment) Regulations, 2012’

To facilitate agreements between the service providers in a time bound manner for Intelligent Network (IN) Services such as Virtual Calling Card (VCC), Free Phone Services etc. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today issued the Intelligent Network Services in Multi Operator and Multi Network Scenario (Amendment) Regulations, 2012. Even after amendment in License conditions of NLD/ILD in August, 2009, Access Service providers have not entered into agreement with NLDOs/ILDOs to facilitate the subscribers to make long distance calls using the prepaid calling cards issued by NLDO/ILDO. Therefore, the Amendment to the IN regulations is considered necessary to provide specific time frame in the IN regulations to facilitate interconnection agreement between such service providers. Accordingly, the draft amendment to the IN regulation was released on 12.10.2010 on TRAI’s website for comments and counter comments from the stakeholders. Taking into account various comments of the stakeholders in response to the draft regulations, the Authority has framed the amendment to the regulations and released them today. The present amendment will facilitate all service providers, who are already providing IN based services or would start IN based services at a later date, to enter into agreement with all access providers, in a time bound manner, in the consumer interest. The present amendment would be useful for Virtual calling Card (VCC) issued by long distance providers. Presently Virtual calling Card (VCC) are not much in use and being mainly operator specific, cannot be accessed by all the subscribers. After agreements between the service providers in the framework of the regulations, the subscribers will be able to make STD/ISD Calls using Calling Cards issued by NLDOs/ILDOs. The amendment has already placed on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.