Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Latest News

The JCoR meeting, held at TRAI headquarters, New Delhi, emphasised the need for a unified and collaborative approach to combat spam and fraudulent calls, especially targeting senior citizens.

About Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

• Established under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, passed by Parliament.
• Primary mandate: To regulate telecom services in India, including tariff fixation/revision, which was earlier the domain of the Central Government.
• Scope of regulation: Covers areas like tariffs, quality of service, interconnection, spectrum management, and consumer protection in the telecom sector.
• Policy role: Issues regulations, recommendations, and orders that guide telecom policy-making and market practices.

Composition of TRAI

• Consists of a Chairperson, a maximum of two full-time members, and two part-time members.
• Appointments are made by the Central Government.
• Tenure: Members serve for three years or until the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Extent of Government Control over TRAI

• Not a fully independent body – operates under certain executive constraints:
  • Under Section 25 of the TRAI Act, the Central Government can issue binding directions to TRAI.
  • TRAI’s funding is provided by the Central Government.
  • TRAI’s recommendations are advisory, not binding; however, the Government must consult TRAI for licensing of service providers and related matters.
  • TRAI can notify telecom service rates in the Official Gazette for services within and outside India.

Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR)

• Objective of JCoR: A TRAI-led platform for fostering cross-sectoral collaboration between regulatory bodies across telecom, IT, consumer affairs, banking, insurance, and financial markets.
  • Created to address regulatory challenges in the digital ecosystem, especially in areas like fraud prevention, spam control, and digital consumer protection.
• Members: Includes representatives from RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, MoCA, MeitY, with DoT and MHA as special invitees.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) FAQs

Q1. When was TRAI established?
Ans. TRAI was established on February 20, 1997 under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.

Q2. Is TRAI a statutory body?
Ans. Yes, TRAI is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament — the TRAI Act, 1997.

Source: PIB

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