The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has requested that the government bring over-the-top (OTT) communication apps under a light-touch licencing regime.
It went on to say that OTT communications apps should pay telecom carriers for using their networks. The industry body has also asked the government to define ‘communication services’ in the Telecom Bill, 2022, and to remove any ambiguity. The move comes just days after COAI announced that it is developing a revenue-sharing model for telecom networks and OTT apps. The industry was outraged by the draught telecom Bill’s ambiguous definitions, particularly for OTT apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.
