Trai rules out intervention for OTT services; COAI says issues unaddressed

Regulator Trai on Monday ruled out any immediate regulatory intervention for OTT communication services like Whatsapp, Google Duo and Viber, and said time is not opportune to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for them — dashing hopes of telcos that had been pushing for same rules to be applied to such players.

The entire matter can be looked into afresh when more clarity emerges in international jurisdictions particularly the study undertaken by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), Trai said outlining its views on the issue of regulatory framework for OTT (Over-The-Top) communication services.

The move comes as a breather for OTT players, which have come under increasing scrutiny otherwise, but deals a blow to telcos’ long-standing demand for parity and level-playing-field with such OTT services that cannibalise their own offerings.