The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its Recommendations on the Connectivity to Access Service VNOs From More Than one NSO.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through its letter dated 07.07.2023 on the subject - ‘Connectivity to Access Service VNOs from more than one NSO’, sought recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997.

 In this regard, TRAI initiated a Consultation Paper on ‘Connectivity to Access Service VNOs from more than one NSO’ on 23.02.2024 for soliciting the comments and counter-comments of stakeholders. Comments were received from nine stakeholders and counter comments were received from four stakeholders. An Open House Discussion on the consultation paper was convened on 08.05.2024.

Based on the comments received from stakeholders and on its own analysis, TRAI has finalized its Recommendations on the Connectivity to Access Service VNOs from more than one NSO.

In the year 2016, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) introduced the regime of Virtual Network Operators (VNOs) in India. VNOs are treated as an extension of Network Service Operators (NSOs). VNOs can provide telecommunication services after obtaining telecommunication network resources from NSOs as per their mutual agreement.

As per the extant licensing regime in the country, VNOs are allowed to have agreements with more than one NSO for all services other than Access Service and such services which need numbering and unique identity of the customer. Through these recommendations, the Authority has recommended that there should be no cap on the number of Network Service Operators (NSOs) from whom an Access Service Virtual Network Operator (VNO) can take connectivity for providing wireline access service in a Licensed Service Area (LSA).

Through these recommendations, the Authority has also recommended that An Access Service VNO, intending to provide both wireless and wireline access services in an LSA, should be permitted to take connectivity from one NSO for wireless access service and other NSO(s) for wireline access service in the LSA. This flexibility should be given in addition to the extant regime under which an Access Service VNO, intending to provide both wireline and wireless access services in an LSA, is permitted to take connectivity for both wireline and wireless access services from the same NSO in the LSA.

The Authority is of the view that the implementation of these recommendations would give a boost to the quality of service of wireline access services in the country. It would also provide a flexibility to Access Service VNOs to obtain connectivity for wireless access service and wireline access service from different NSOs. This would enable Access Service VNOs to provide better service offerings to telecom consumers in the country.

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