The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued the TRAI Repealing Regulations, 2023 to repeal the regulation on quality of service (QoS) of dial-up and leased line internet access service, 2001 with effect from date of its notification in the official gazette.
TRAI notified the regulation on QoS of dial-up and leased line internet access service, 2001 on December 10, 2001. This regulation was applicable to all basic service operators and internet service providers (ISPs), including the incumbent operators such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). The purpose of laying down QoS parameters was to ensure customer satisfaction by laying down norms of network performance, which the service provider is required to achieve by proper dimensioning of his network, measuring the QoS from time to time and comparing that with the specified norms so as to monitor the level of performance, provided by various service providers and to protect the interests of subscribers of the internet services.
These regulations were issued when the dial-up service was the only service available for accessing low-speed internet. As per TRAI, with the passage of time, telecom networks, both wireline as well as wireless, have evolved to offer high-speed broadband service on x digital subscriber line (xDSL), fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), long-term evolution (LTE) and 5G etc., technologies. Whereas the leased line access services are generally offered by internet gateway service providers (IGSPs) holding an ISP licence to enterprises, is a service level agreement (SLA) based service. Being an SLA-based service, the agreement among the contracting parties has sufficient provisions to safeguard concerns regarding service quality. Hence, TRAI has stated that the regulation on QoS of dial-up and leased line internet access service, 2001, appears to be no more relevant in the present context.
In view of the above, earlier TRAI issued draft Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Repealing Regulations, 2023 on April 03, 2023, inviting comments from the stakeholders up to April 17, 2023. Based on the comments of the stakeholders and considering the aspect of ease of doing business, the regulator has decided to repeal the regulation on QoS of dial-up and leased line internet access service.
