IUC: Trai releases consultation paper

Close on the heels of announcing its decision to review the Inter-connect Usage Charges regime, which was introduced on May 1, the telecom regulatory authority released on Thursday a consultation paper (https://www.trai.gov.in/consul25.htm) on the IUC regime covering key issues like telecom tariffs and Calling Party Pays regime.

Various issues pointed out by the stakeholders are there in the paper for public consultation. According to the Trai statement, these issues may be grouped into four main categories -- IUC, the access deficit charges, tariffs and CPP.

Trai has sought comments from various stakeholders by June 6, an official said, adding that following this there would be consultations and meetings and the regulator would then finalise its views on the issue.

The questions raised in the paper include:

• Whether the IUC regime needs any improvement and streamlining,
• Whether tariff forbearance for WLL and cellular services should continue, and
• Whether the fixed line tariffs should continue to be regulated, the statement pointed out.

The other contentious issue is whether the ADC should be calculated on current costs as at present or should forward-looking long run incremental cost method should be used for its calculation like it's done in several other countries, to eliminate any possibility of regulatory advantage to any particular service provider.