New Delhi: Business our bodies, civil society organizations and client teams have raised considerations to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India over regulation of OTT apps, particularly on the selective banning of OTT apps, as has been proposed by the regulator in its ongoing session.
Of their submission to the TRAI, which is enterprise consultations over OTT regulation, the our bodies together with Web and Cellular Affiliation of India (IAMAI), Broadband India Discussion board, Client Unity and Belief Society (CUTS) and Asia Web Coalition (AIC) comprising practically a dozen client teams, have stated that such apps had been already regulated beneath the IT Act 2000 which will probably be changed by the upcoming Digital India Act (DIA), therefore the continuing consultations ought to type a part of Digital India Act and any different further consultations by regulators like TRAI may even result in overlap of regulatory construction.
BIF stated that the present regulatory panorama has fostered a wholesome app financial system progress in India, marked by one of many world’s highest annual app obtain charges, and so any try to introduce new regulatory frameworks may disrupt the prevailing aggressive panorama and compromise client advantages and innovation.
“We hope that the regulator and the Authorities will enable market forces to function freely, incentivising progress and progress on this very important sector. TSPs can compete freely, and OTTs mustn’t face restrictions in favour of telecom service suppliers,” BIF president T V Ramachandran stated.
Amol Kulkarni and Shiksha Srivastava of CUTS of their submission stated that if the method for selective banning was not clearly laid down, it will lead to regulatory uncertainty and additional overregulation. “How the OTT apps are chosen, the rationale behind such choice and beneath what state of affairs will the ban be carried out, are all data which must be made accessible to the general public. This must be carried out by the use of a written public order, which ought to clearly lay down the rationale of the choice,” they stated.
“A licensing regime, whereas organised, may stifle innovation by imposing excessive compliance prices, thereby impeding the expansion of start-ups. Given the speedy evolution of OTT companies, a static regulatory regime may severely hamper progress on this dynamic area,” advocacy group The Dialogue stated in its submission.
AIC flagged that mandated collaborative framework between OTT service suppliers and licensed telcos could result in the creation of a system the place telcos can demand compensation from OTT service suppliers within the type of income sharing or community utilization charges. Telcos might also create income sharing exemptions for their very own OTT companies which can result in considerations beneath each the precept of web neutrality, in addition to competitors legislation.
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Up to date: 06 Sep 2023, 12:22 AM IST
Supply: Live Mint