Industry bodies split on interconnection reforms as TRAI weighs IP shift, ITC hike

Telecom interconnection rules are under a major overhaul, with industry bodies saying that the changes could significantly alter operator costs, foreign exchange flows, legacy network revenues and spam control mechanisms, in their submissions to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Submissions by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the Broadband India Forum (BIF) reveal broad agreement on moving to IP-based interconnection, with differences on how aggressively the transition should be enforced and how financial burdens should be redistributed across operators.