TRAI says no to regulations for OTT players

India’s telecoms watchdog on Monday said over-the-top (OTT) communication services do not currently need a regulatory framework, casting aside the threat of potential restrictions on platforms such as Facebook , WhatsApp and Google .

India’s telecoms firms have long lobbied for regulation of apps that offer free voice and text services over the internet, arguing that such services erode their revenues.

“It is not an opportune moment to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for various aspects of services referred to as OTT services, beyond the extant laws and regulations prescribed presently,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in a statement.