On the sidelines of the IAMAI Digital Summit, TRAI Chairman JS Sarma apparently told reporters that they are going to issue a consultation paper on the regualtion of mobile Value Added Services, reports Dow Jones This, of course, isn't the first instance of Value Added Servicesbeing considered for regulation. Services being made available through Telecom Operators for sending SMS services recently were significantly limited by a regulation related to telemarketing. In 2009, the TRAI had issued a fairly forward-looking consultation paper, only to backtrack afterwards. Our analysis of TRAI's last Common Short Code plan: - Consultation: TRAI Suggests Common Short Codes Plan, Telecom Operator Integration Mandated - TRAI Fails To Deliver On Mobile VAS Promise: Drops Key Provisions Note that these recommendations were not accepted by the Department of Telecom Unbundle The Mobile Last Mile For Services Our take on the regualtion of VAS is as follows: if VAS companies are indeed going to have to register to offer services, and come under regulation, then that must be because they're licensing government resources directly, in a free, fair and competitive environment. Currently, the TRAI regulates telecom operators in India, who in turn impose their own rules on VAS services: this is possible since Telecom Operators are held accountable for services being offered to customers through them. We believe that if VAS operators are to be regulated, then they must be in a position to license telecom resources directly from the government, or license them from Telecom Operators in a free, fair,…
