Telcos News

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) amended the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018 on February 12. 

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed all telcos to comply with its latest directive and submit regular updates on the actions taken on the first and sixteenth of every month. 

Mobile service providers will also need to provide service-wise (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) geospatial coverage maps on their website that will help users. 

The telecom regulator on Thursday had issued directions to telecom operators to act swiftly to stop the misuse of headers and message templates, as it came down heavily on unauthorised, pesky promotional messages by telemarketers.

Telecom operators have been instructed to take action against all erring telemarketers as per stipulated regulations and also initiate actions as per relevant legal laws.

Some estimates peg the number of job losses in the sector, which has been passing through choppy waters after the launch of the aggressive offerings by the deep-pocketed Reliance Jio, at over 90,000.

With latent demand for data fuelling the digital economy, 2018 could be the growth year for the sector where investment of around Rs 3 lakh crore is estimated to be made in next two years.

The adjusted gross revenue (AGR), on which telecom operators pay licence fees and other charges, reduced by 17.55 percent to Rs 41,668.84 crore in the reported period compared to Rs 50,539.2 crore in the September quarter of 2016, the regulator's performance indicator report said.

The agency also has stable outlooks for car-makers, and companies in the construction, cement, and textiles sectors, but a negative outlook on the real estate sector.

Regulator Trai's decision to cut call connection charge rate by more than half, if executed, will hit earnings of old mobile operators to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore in the current fiscal, industry body COAI on Wednesday said.

The IMG which comprises senior officials from the ministries of finance and communications last met on August 11 and deliberated on various proposals that can be taken to address the financial woes of the industry.

To curb rejection of mobile number portability requests, telecom regulator Trai on Wednesday proposed to enhance roll of MNP clearing house which will have all the details of subscribers required for completion of the process.

Pain in the telecom sector is not over yet and the current year will see an up to 10 percent fall in revenue and eventually, the top three telcos will control up to 85 percent of revenue market share after the ongoing consolidation, says a report.

The country's largest telecom company Bharti Airtel on Tuesday posted 74.89 per cent plunge in consolidated net profit to Rs 367 crore for the June quarter of the current fiscal, hit hard by the disruptive pricing of newcomer Reliance Jio.

Despite this move, the agency retained its negative outlook on the sector, which has been impacted hugely by the entry of Jio.

India`s telecoms minister said on Thursday that the government would take corrective steps to ensure growth in the sector, the world`s second-biggest by number of users, amid worries about financial stress.

Telecom regulator Trai on Thursday said certain operators have suggested fixation of minimum floor price for voice and data services.

The finance ministry on Friday asked telecom companies to rejig costs and lower prices to pass on the benefits of tax rate reduction under GST to customers from July.

Due to intense competition triggered after launch of Reliance Jio, top three telecom companies are set to face the heat in fiscal 2018 as well, as per a report by rating agency Crisil released on Monday.

High cost of spectrum following the recent auction is credit negative for telecom operators, as the debt levels will rise further, Moody's Investors Service said on Friday.