Telecom Diary: Telcos vs OTT: Trai walking on a tightrope?

With data services encompassing every aspect of our lives through OTT (over-the-top) services, the question of whether OTT apps should be brought under the ambit of regulation is looming large.

The symbiotic relationship between telcos and OTT players has played out well where the OTT has contributed to enhanced data usage in mobile users, while telecom service providers have been investing heavily in network expansion and upgradation. This has led to the debate about whether OTT should play its role in setting up network infrastructure by paying a fair usage charge to telecom providers.