TRAI pushes for Next Generation Networks

Bhaskar Hazarika

NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator is actively considering the implementation of the Next Generation Networks (NGN) in India for the benefit of the subscribers.

Taking initiative on it, the Telecom regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued two consultation papers on “Next Generation Networks and convergence and competition in broadcasting and telecommunications” and invited views from stakeholders in this regard.

TRAI officials said that converged network was a reality that operators acknowledged but a few stakeholders had opposed this move, as they did not wish to let go the strengths they had gained. However, the regulator said that private telecom subscribers should get ready for this transformation.

NGN allows operators to offer different types of services on a single network. It is a packet-based network, which provides telecommunication services and allows use of services such as multiple broadband and quality of service-enabled transport technologies. NGN technology-based network is also known as Internet Protocol-based networks. IP is software that tracks Internet address of nodes, routes and outgoing messages, and identifies incoming messages. Voice, data and picture in NGN network are transmitted as packets with minimum speed of 256 kilobits per second and more.

“It is the right time to migrate when the telecom market is growing. About 90 per cent of the telecom network in UK is using NGN, as a result of which they have been able to offer a bouquet of services like TV, phone, value added service and data on a single network,” the regulator said.

The regulator also said that the use of a single network for multiple services would bring down the cost on network that translates into lower cost for the subscribers.

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