Trai starts consultation on tariff issues during disasters

The telecom regulator on Wednesday floated a consultation paper to discuss tariff-related issues for SMS and cell broadcast alerts disseminated through Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) platform during disasters and non-disasters.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has explained that there are certain occasions when the government would like to send alert messages free of cost to the public forewarning of a possible disaster. “ Or occasions where the public has to be informed of special events such as holding of relief/ vaccine/ medical camps/ specific law and order related situations etc,” the regulator said, highlighting the relevance of the consultation paper.