Status Quo Continues VIS-À-VIS OTTs

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued its recommendations on regulatory framework for 'over-the-top' (OTT) communications services on 14 September 2020 (Recommendations). The Recommendations have been issued pursuant to a reference letter from Department of Telecommunications (DoT) dated 3 March 2016 by way of which DoT had sought recommendations of TRAI on net neutrality and other related aspects such as economic, security and privacy issues, and regulatory framework for OTT services, etc. Over the course of the last 4 years, TRAI has issued different sets of recommendations addressing these aspects and the present Recommendations lay emphasis on regulation of OTT communication services.