The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recently made an important decision regarding free audio and video calling through apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. This decision comes after telecom operators like Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone-Idea had been pushing for a ban on calling through these apps. The DoT has chosen not to impose a ban on calls made through these apps at this time, which has been a setback for the telecom companies.
The DoT has clarified that, for now, the government will not stop calling services through social media apps. Telecom operators had argued that the new Telecommunication Act should also apply to apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and that over-the-top (OTT) apps providing calling services need to be regulated. However, the DoT stated that it currently has no plans to regulate OTT, and that only telecom operators licensed through the Telecom Act can be regulated.
Notably, the regulation of OTT is a complex matter with differing interpretations from various stakeholders. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) have already presented a consultation paper on regulating OTT. The government, along with the Ministry of IT and Electronics, is considering the interests of users and national security in their discussions about how to regulate OTT. Last July, TRAI had addressed controlling these apps in its consultation paper.
Meanwhile, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a warning to alert users about a scam. Fraudsters are sending SMS messages to people, pretending to be from TRAI, and asking them to close their mobile numbers. TRAI has clarified that this is a fraudulent message, as they have not communicated with users about closing their mobile connections via calls or messages.
TRAI has advised users to be cautious of any such communication. Hackers are using scare tactics to deceive and obtain personal information from people.
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