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What is TRAI and How does it Work?

TRAI refers to 'The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India', which aims to regulate telecommunication services and conserve the interest of the aid providers or customers.

The telecommunications sector holds an important position in the development and transformation related to mobile transmission. It also. Plays a vital role in the area of the information society with its current position. The regulation of TRAI comes to be pivotal due to massive obstacles to its entrance into the industry. It prefers to avoid the probabilities of any monopoly. Besides, it also ensures the lack of different unfair practices within the industry. However, the main purpose of TRAI was to regulate telecommunication services under the custody of the central government. In contrast, the government practices such supervision in exclusive regions of TRAI undertakings. 

TRAI: Overview

TRAI was introduced to establish an adequate setting for expanding the telecommunications industry in India. Besides making the country a part of the international information society. TRAI is a statutory body, and it governs the main telecommunications industry in India. After entering the private service providers, TRAI certainly expects dominant regulations. 

Hence, the emergence of TRAI was initiated along with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 on 20 February 1997. The purpose was to regulate telecommunication services with fixation or revision of taxes for the telecom industry. Another important objective was to offer a modest and clear policy setting. The policy further focused on promoting a playing field and stimulating fair welfare.

Pursuing its overall objectives, TRAI has issued over time a massive volume of restrictions, laws, and declarations to deal with issues reaching before it. Moreover, it also empowered the preferable way to expand the telecom market, India. The market expanded from such a government-owned monopoly to a robust multi-operator market. 

Structure of TRAI

The structure of TRAI holds its chairman, a minimum of a pair of full-time members, and only two-part members. The Central Government appointed all these TRAI members. To become a TRAI member, one should have outstanding knowledge or else skilled experience in different aspects of finance to regulate telecommunication services, management, industry, consumer affairs, law, and accountancy. Most importantly, senior or retired Government officers can be elected for the post of TRAI membership. They should also have three years of service experience as additional secretaries under state or union governments. 

The prominent characteristic of the TRAI Act, 1997 are as follows

The main purpose of this TRAI Act is to regulate telecommunication services and to strengthen the overall legislation, laws, and regulations regarding the telecom sector.

The Central Government provides the funds, and therefore it has specific capabilities referred to in the Act. 

The Act passes the grounds and method of Appeal to be pursued in the circumstance of a conflict between varied parties. According to the Act, the Central Government, State Government, provincial administration, and any other can reach the TDSAT to adjudicate the consequence.

The time duration for disposal appeal is only 39 days from the period of filing of the petition. The Appellate council is expected to discuss the “Advisory Committee” possessing a deputy of TRAI authorised CAG while eliminating the plea.

The Act offers a variety of capabilities, duration of office, authorities, and regulations for ending the members of TRAI and the Tribunal.

Functions of TRAI

Makes Recommendations

The main role TRAI plays is to formulate suggestions on the second matter:

  • Require for the overture of the current service provider.

  • Cancellation of authorization for non-compliance with “terms and conditions “.

  • Regulations to stimulate rivalry and expand efficiency in “telecommunication services” to promote their expansion.

  • Technological modifications in the assistance empowered by the service providers.

Discharge of Responsibilities

The TRAI is accountable for releasing the pursuing functions:

  • Confirming compliance with the licence’s “terms and conditions.”

  • Guaranteeing technological compatibility and beneficial “interconnection between varied service providers.”

  • Decreeing on the norms of the integrity of service to be empowered by “the service providers.”

  • Guaranteeing the integrity of “service and performing the periodic analyses of these services.

  • Reliable and officially instructing the ratios at which “the telecommunication services “within the country and outside of it will also be “provided under the TRAI Act, 1997.”

Non-Binding Recommendations 

  • The proposals of the TRAI are not compelling to the Central Government. If the Central Government does not approve any proposal provided by the TRAI or prefers transformations, it relates the proposal to the Authority to reconsider it. 

  • The TRAI broadcasts to the Central Government its proposal after contemplating the consideration made by that “Government within 15 days.”

Conclusion

The Act of TRAI has initiated “the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)” for legislating and overseeing the telecom sector and “the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)” to consider controversies between a licence and a licence-holders. The government initiated TRAI to regulate telecommunication services. On the other hand, The Act also creates TRAI as an association consisting of a Chairman, Vice-chairman, two full-time units, and two distinct members. The Act offers strengths and capacities to TRAI to promote its important objective, the legislation. Some of the major purposes of TRAI encompass specifying principles of “Quality of Service”, completing periodical polls, establishing “terms and conditions” of the mandate of a licence, and remedying the taxes and percentages to be charged.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the BANK Examination Preparation.

Can TRAI help a consumer in resolving individual complaints?

Ans. The TRAI Act, 1997 does not consider the manner of particular customer objections by TRAI. According to “...Read full

What does TRAI denote?

Ans. “Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI),” in New Delhi, was established under” an Act of Parliament viz. TRAI Act, 199...Read full

What is the new role of TRAI?

Ans. Trai authorises telcos to have a minimum of a single plan authorising recharge certainty of 1 month. In a modif...Read full

Is the TRAI a government body?

Ans. “The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)” is a government authority that the Government of...Read full