The Telecom Regulatory Authority off India (TRAI) today released a consultation paper on, ?Review of Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC).? This consultation paper is available on TRAI?s website.
IUC are the wholesale charges payable by one telecom service provider to another for use of the latter?s network for originating, terminating or transiting or carrying a call. The IUC regime is an essential requirement to allow subscribers of one service provider to communicate with the subscriber of other service providers in multi-operator environment. The IUC regime determines not only the revenue accruals to the service providers but also how this revenue is to be distributed among various service providers.
Though IUC is not directly related to retail tariff, they play a major role in determining the level of retail tariffs offered by the service providers. A number of factors like increasing competition, massive growth of subscribers, changes in retail tariff and in the cost of providing services, and adoption of new technologies by the service providers necessitate periodic review of the IUC regime.
Public consultation through this consultation paper seeks views of the stakeholders on various parameters of fixing of components of the IUC. Stakeholders are requested to furnish their written comments to the Advisor (I&FN), TRAI by 18 May, 2011. Counter-comments, if any, may be sent by 25 May, 2011. Comments and counter-comments would be posted on TRAI?s website.
The comments and counter-comments may also be sent by e-mail to jafn@trai.gov.in or trai.gov@gmail.com.
