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ball-shaped engineering science giants are pushing back against endeavor by India ’s telecom networks to bring net services under rigorous regularization , rejecting argument that such metre are necessary to make a “ level playing field ” and address home security concerns .
The Asia Internet Coalition ( AIC ) , a powerful manufacture body that represents Amazon , Apple , Google , Meta , Microsoft , Netflix and Spotify , has forcefully contend against comprehension of the so - promise over - the - top ( OTT ) table service in theproposed regulative framework(PDF ) for telecom operators .
OTT services go on the app layer , while telecom service providers ( TSPs ) operate on the web layer . Unlike TSPs , OTT providers do not have right field to learn spectrum , hold numbering resource or interconnect with the public switched telephony connection .
“ OTT communication services are not substitutes of traditional telecommunication services , ” the AIC wrote in its submission , noting that OTT Service offer extra functionality like group chat , voice notes and in - app content sharing .
Including internet services in the raw framework could violate nett neutrality principles and harm consumer interest , the AIC warned .
“ At the outset , we would like to submit that OTT communicating services are already regulated under a emcee of laws , admit as ‘ intermediaries ’ under the IT Act and the rule and regulations issue thereunder . Thus , concerns that OTT communicating services maneuver in an ecosystem where there is no regulatory oversight are unfounded , ” the AIC also state .
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The coalition argues there are already enough regulations in India that oversee OTT services , admit requirements for interception , cognitive content takedown , incident reporting and user grudge redressal under the IT Act and related linguistic rule .
This opposition comes in answer to a ordinate push by India ’s top telecommunication operators — Bharti Airtel , Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea — to get OTT services under a young empowerment fabric .
Jio , India ’s largest telecom manipulator with more than 475 million endorser , and other telco wheeler dealer have recommended that OTT providerscontribute to meshwork development costsbased on their traffic consumption , turnover and exploiter foundation .
The telcos ’ energy comes as they grapple with low average revenue per user — of about $ 2 per month . Having collectivelyinvested $ 19 billion in 5 G air last year , the carriers are seeking regulative intervention to promote margins .
The AIC disputed claims of OTT services “ detached - horseback riding ” on telecom infrastructure . Jeff Paine , AIC ’s managing director , said that OTT services have driven increase data consumption and revenues for carriers .
The AIC also argued that regulating OTT overhaul under the Telecommunications Act , 2023 would go beyond its specify scope . The coalition noted that when the Act was introduced in Parliament , the telecommunication minister , Ashwini Vaishnaw , clarified that “ OTT has been regulated by the IT Act of 2000 and continues to be mold by the IT Act ” and also stipulated “ there is no coverage of OTT in the new telecom bill passed by the Parliament . ”
The debate in India mirrors like discourse in South Korea andEurope , where net operators are also push for contributions from tumid technical school ship’s company .
