TRAI’s consultation process over IP telephony this month has pitted web and telecoms firms against each other.

Global giants Google, AT&T, Cisco, Microsoft and Nortel are backing up Internet service providers (ISPs), and favour unrestricted Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, whereas telecom operators oppose the idea. Companies such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance want ISPs to buy a Universal Access Service Licence (UASL) if they wish to provide internet telephony. The licence costs $384,355,721 (Rs16.5 billion), placing it out of reach of most ISPs.

The government permitted mobile operators to offer IP telephony to their customers way back in 2005, but telecom operators are still not providing the service, as it would bring down call rates drastically. Ironically, many telecom operators currently route their domestic calls through IP networks, and still charge exorbitant charges, reported Economic Times.

ISPs claim they can offer local calls for free in the case of their own networks, and for 10 paisa in the case of other IP networks, with STD calls for 50 paisa or 75 paisa depending on the IP network.

TRAI is likely to submit its recommendations on IP telephony to the DoT by September. X

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The Economic Times

IT Examiner