Revised telecom draft to clear air on OTT, DTH platforms

9 Dec 2022 , 10:02 AM

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is probably going to unveil a revised draft of the telecommunications invoice in lower than a month, to tackle points raised by the ministry of data and broadcasting and others round regulating content material of over-the-top (OTT) apps and broadcasting providers akin to direct-to-home (DTH).

Government officers instructed “Economic Times” that DoT, within the revised telecom invoice draft, will clearly state that its goal is to regulate solely communication apps that give the identical providers as telecom operators.

This will take away any ambiguity across the class of apps that DoT will regulate.

The absence of any particular definition of apps within the present draft raised issues that each one kinds of apps — together with streaming platforms akin to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar in addition to meals aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato — could also be regulated by the telecom division.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting additionally raised issues on inclusion of broadcasting providers as a part of telecommunication providers within the present draft invoice.

As per this draft, broadcasting service is outlined as a telecommunication service supposed to be acquired by most people, both immediately or not directly.

Schedule 2

Further, below Schedule 2 of the draft invoice, broadcasting providers — together with DTH, group radio stations, uplinking and downlinking of TV channels, IPTV providers and FM radio broadcasting providers by means of non-public businesses — have been listed as entities requiring licences.

This has given rise to apprehensions that DoT is searching for to encroach on the powers of the ministry that regulates broadcasting providers. Officials mentioned the I&B ministry had raised the problems with the telecom division whereas sharing its feedback on the draft.

Content, Broadcasting Not Included

DoT officers stated related clauses will probably be modified to herald readability. “The revised bill will clearly define which aspect of broadcast services — those using a telecom network — will be regulated. 

Other types of broadcasting services such as DTH and TV channels will be excluded,” one of many officers mentioned. Industry our bodies akin to Broadband India Forum and Internet and Mobile Association of India too had demanded that content material and broadcasting be stored exterior the purview of the telecom invoice.

OTT Communication Apps

While points round broadcasting and content material OTTs have been resolved, DoT continues to be deliberating the framework to regulate OTT communication apps akin to WhatsApp and Signal. Officials say the division is but to take a name on whether or not these apps would require a licence or merely a registration.

Minister for communications Ashwini Vaishnaw beforehand instructed ET that DoT would go for a “light touch” regulatory framework for such apps and never search to maximise authorities income.

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