Submit 'closure of access' ideas by 6 Feb: TRAI

Submit 'closure of access' ideas by 6 Feb: TRAI

trai

MUMBAI: The last  date to  receive comments and  counter-comments on TRAI  Consultation  Paper   on 'Issues  related  to  closure  of   Access Services' has been extended.

The  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of India (TRAI) had  invited comments  and counter-comments of stakeholders on Consultation Paper 'Issues related to  closure of  Access Services' dated 30 November, 2016. The  last date for  receiving written comments and counter-comments from  the  stakeholders were  fixed  as 9 January 2017 and 16 January 2017, respectively.  

Considering the request received from the  stakeholders, the  last date for submission of written comments was extended  up to  23 January 2017   and for  counter-comments  up to  30 January 2017. 

Keeping  in  view  the  request of stakeholders for  further extension of time  for  sending their comments, it  has been   decided to  extend the  last date for  submission of written comments up to 6 February 2017  and   for counter-comments  up to   13 February  2017.  No  further  requests   for extension would  be considered.

The  comments and   counter-comments may   be  sent preferably in electronic form. For  any   clarification/ information, contact Sanjeev Banzai, advisor  (Network  Spectrum & Licensing).

TRAI seeks to extend the time mobile users get to change their service-provider if a particular company is shutting shop or selling its spectrum.

The paper titled 'Closure of Access Service" will seek feedback from telecom eco-system stakeholders to set up a framework to give an extended time and more options to users facing termination of services. A licence coming to fruition or failure of the service provider to bag spectrum or spectrum trading are normally the reasons behind an entity shutting shop.

TRAI had taken note of three significant instances. Reliance Communications stopped CDMA services and migrated to LTE. Airtel acquired spectrum from Aircel and Videocon through trading deals. In some cases, operators do not renew the spectrum and stop offering services in a particular area. Tata Docomo has lost subscribers due to such non-renewal.

Also Read: Consumers may get 60-day notice from unprofessional telcos