New Delhi, August 20: The Indian telecom sector has been taking strides to introduce better services. Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have recently introduced price hikes, and now BSNL has announced plans to roll out its 4G and 5G services across Indian states. Amid this, global technology giants are reportedly pushing against the Indian telecom giants from bringing internet services under a "stricter" regulation. 

According to a report by TechCrunch, global tech giants have rejected the  Indian telecom companies' arguments over creating a "level playing field" and also addressing national security concerns. The argument comes from AIC (Asia Internet Coalition), a trade association co-founded by tech giants that represents Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Spotify. TRAI Directs Access Service Providers To Take Concrete Measures, Curb Misuse of Messaging Services Effective From September 1.

Asia Internet Coalition has argued against including OTT services by telecom operating companies in PDF (proposed regulatory framework). The body argued over to TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) that OTT providers operate differently than the traditional telecom operators. It emphasised the fundamental difference in technology, operations, and functionality. 

AIC submitted to TRAI, "OTT communication services are not substitutes of traditional telecom service." The body said that OTT services also provide additional functionalities like group chats, in-app content sharing and voice notes. It said that, unlike Telecom Service Providers, the over-the-top (OTT) platforms "do not have rights to acquire spectrum, obtain numbering resources or interconnect with the public switched telephone network." India Adds 7.3 Crore Internet Subscribers, 7.8 Crore Broadband Users in 1 Year, As Telephone Subscribers Reach 119.9 Crore in the Country.

AIC warned that including internet services in the new framework could violate net neutrality principles and even harm customers' interests. The report said that the Asia Internet Coalition also stated that OTT services are already regulated under existing laws, including the IT Act, and thus concerns about insufficient oversight are unfounded.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2024 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).