Daily Morning News

Telecom Norms Raise Compliance Costs COAI

The new quality of service regulations from TRAI are expected to raise compliance costs for telecom companies, according to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). These norms aim to enhance service standards but will increase the financial and operational burden on telecom firms.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced stringent quality of service (QoS) regulations, set to take effect on October 1, 2024. These new rules mandate telecom operators to improve network performance, transparency, and consumer protection measures. Penalties for non-compliance start at ₹1 lakh and can go up to ₹10 lakh for repeated offenses. The regulations also require telecom companies to publish detailed coverage maps and regularly disclose performance metrics online.

TRAI's updated standards include monthly monitoring of key performance indicators such as latency, jitter, and packet drop rates. Additionally, telecom operators must compensate customers during network outages exceeding 24 hours. These measures aim to enhance mobile and broadband services but are expected to significantly increase the compliance burden and operational costs for telecom firms.