Spam menace: Telcos, Internet companies clash over views to regulate OTT communication apps

NEW DELHI: Leading incumbent telecom operators have suggested that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) bring third-party IP applications and over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms under a regulatory regime, arguing that a separate, parallel market is emerging following curbs on spam on mobile networks.

However, Truecaller and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), among others, have sharply opposed the telcos’ opinion, arguing that regulating OTTs would result in “jurisdictional overreach”.