The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has reportedly reiterated that mobile applications or over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms are exploiting a regulatory loophole, making them increasingly attractive to spammers and scammers, and emphasised that a uniformly implemented unified consent management framework is essential to safeguard consumers from the surge in mobile frauds and unsolicited communication.
Additionally, the telcos and mobile app platforms like Meta’s WhatsApp, Google Meet, Telegram, and Viber remain divided in the absence of a regulatory and policy framework. While telecom operators are pushing for a fair share from those generating heavy traffic on their networks, OTT players are resisting the idea.
In line with this, telcos, including, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi), have also called for OTT applications to be brought under the licensing framework of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, since such apps effectively function as access service providers.
