NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today recommended the lifting of restrictions on Internet telephony in the country.

The recommendations under “Issues Related to Internet Telephony” permit ISPs to provide unrestricted Internet telephony (termination of Internet telephony calls on PSTN/PLMN and vice-versa) within the existing IUC regime.

“All ISPs interested to provide unrestricted Internet telephony shall install lawful interception equipment,” TRAI recommended.

While making the recommendations TRAI said it has provided due importance to level playing field among various service providers, interconnection mechanism, Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC), numbering, lawful interception, emergency number dialing, interoperability, quality of service, etc.

Overall licensing framework has been protected while permitting unrestricted Internet telephony to ISPs.

TRAI has also permitted National Long Distance (NLD) operators to connect to ISPs through public Internet (Internet cloud) for unrestricted Internet telephony, on condition of mutual agreement between the ISPs and NLD operators for unrestricted Internet telephony.

“The NLD (operators) shall make suitable commercial and technical arrangements with access providers (PSTN/PLMN) for unrestricted Internet telephony,” the recommendations said.

The telecom regulator has also suggested that TEC should identify distinct number resources for Internet Telephony subscribers and Telephone numbers from identified blocks should be allocated to ISPs, UASPs, BSOs and CMSPs for Internet telephony.

Additionally, the recommendations have not mandated emergency number dialing to ISPs.

These recommendations, TRAI said, are a step forward towards developing supportive regulatory environment, encouraging technological advancements, enabling convergence, making unrestricted Internet telephony available and boosting of broadband penetration.

Explaining the rationale behind recommending the removal of restrictions on Internet telephony, TRAI said the regulatory framework denied technological advancements to the common people. Level playing field issues were advocated against permitting these services under various licenses.

“Such regulatory restrictions discourage technological advancements and result is grey market activities to provide these services to common masses,” TRAI said in a statement.

The telecom regulator said the Indian subscribers were denied advanced value added services in contrast to global scenario where Internet-based services are popular. ISPs are not permitted to provide unrestricted Internet Telephony though they have IP-based infrastructure.

TRAI further said that globally telecommunications are being shaped by steep growth of broadband and wireless subscribers. The regulatory environment should be dynamic, enabling, efficient and encourage competition.

The telecom authority suo motu had initiated a consultation process in May 2008 to look into lifting restrictions on Internet telephony.

The Authority has considered regulatory framework, which is technologically neutral, enables developments, innovations and growth of the telecom sector for benefit of common masses while ensuring that business models of access telecom service providers are not adversely impacted.