Authorisation regime likely for OTT communication apps

The final version of the Telecom Bill is likely to stipulate an ‘authorisation regime’ for over-the-top (OTT) communication apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and others, instead of a licensing regime proposed in earlier versions, people aware of the development told ET.

The licensing regime, proposed in earlier versions of the Telecom Bill, had raised the hackles of several tech companies, which had warned that multiple regulations would be disproportionate and stall the growth of the OTT communications industry.