The TRAI, after consulting on the possibilities of ‘migrating to an IP-based network’ for interconnecting voice-data over IP network (VOIP) in 2014, has now issued recommendations to the DoT stating that IP-based networks are increasingly gaining traction, therefore facilitating interconnection between IP-based networks is imminent. “Today in many cases, the voice traffic is also being carried over IP. As IP based networks continue to proliferate and traditional circuit switch networks are gradually being phased out, there exists need to facilitate interconnection at IP level” Conventionally, in the current telecom scenario, circuit switch networks carries voice data, facilitated through a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) system that uses analog signals to enable voice-calls. For Eg: In a 2G or 3G network, the user is able to make calls as analog signals pass through multiple switches before a connection is established. Moreover, during the call, no other network traffic can use those switches. While, IP-based networks (VoIP or VoLTE) facilitates exchange of mobile-data through computer servers, as well as voice-data through 4G LTE networks. In a scenario where an IP-based network is used to make voice-calls, the transfer of voice between two users takes place through small data packets. The packets identify the most shortest or efficient route from one end of the user, to the user at the other end, without the need of multiple switches. After the previous consultation in 2014 regarding migration to IP based network, stakeholders said that an imminent transition towards IP based network was widely anticipated, and…
