Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a Consultation Paper on Regulatory Mechanism for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services, and Selective Banning of OTT Services.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through a letter dated 07.09.2022, requested TRAI to reconsider its recommendations on Regulatory Framework for Over-The-Top (O1T) Communication Services dated 14.09.2020 and suggest a suitable regulatory mechanism for OTTs, including issues relating to 'selective banning of O1T services' as part of its recommendations.

Through the letter dated 07.09.2022, DoT has also mentioned that "/n view of the humongous growth of 071 services in the recent past and these services having reached a matured stage, there is a need to holistically look into the various aspects of these services induding regulatory, economic, security, privacy, and safety aspects. This is a/so in keeping with para 2.2 of the National Di:gital Communications Policy - 2018 which mentions the policy goal for "Ensuring a holitic and harmonL?ed approach for harnessing Emerging Technologies' It has been mentioned therein that a policy framework for 'Over the Top'services will be developed."

In response to the DoT letter dated 07.09.2022, TRAI through its letter dated 01.11.2022 conveyed to DoT that "the Authority is of the view that a fresh consultation process may be initiated to frame suitable regulatory framework for OTT.”

Written comments on the issues raised in the Consultation Paper are invited from stakeholders by 4 August 2023 and counter comments by 18 August 2023.