Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
 | |
| Abbreviation | TRAI |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1997 |
| Legal status | Created by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 |
| Purpose | Independent regulator |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
Region served | India |
Key people |
R. S. Sharma (IAS Chairman) A.K. Kaushal (ITS Member) Dr Vijayalakshmy K. Gupta (Member) |
| Website |
www |
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is the independent regulator of the telecommunications business in India.[1]
History
TRAI was established on February 20, 1997 by an Act of Parliament to regulate telecom services and tariffs in India. Earlier regulation of telecom services and tariffs was overseen by the Central Government.
TRAI's mission is to create and nurture conditions for growth of telecommunications in India to enable the country to have a leading role in the emerging global information society.
One of its main objectives is to provide a fair and transparent environment that promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition in the market. TRAI regularly issues orders and directions on various subjects such as tariffs, interconnections, quality of service, Direct To Home (DTH) services and mobile number portability.
In January 2000, TRAI was amended to establish the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory functions of the TRAI. The TDSAT was set up to resolve any dispute between a licensor and a licensee, between two or more service providers, between a service provider and a group of consumers. In addition, any direction, TRAI orders or decisions can be challenged by appealing to TDSAT.[3]
In January 2016, TRAI introduced an important change in telecommunication that would benefit all consumers. Effective from 1 January 2016, consumers will be compensated for call drops. However, there is a catch, per the rule, mobile users will get a compensation of Re 1 for every dropped call but it will be limited to a maximum three dropped calls in a day.
Authority
Per the "Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Act, 2000", the authority shall have no more than two full-time and two part-time members.
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| Ram Sewak Sharma | Chairman |
| A.K. Kaushal | Whole time member |
| Dr Vijayalakshmy K. Gupta | Whole time member |
| H.S. Jamadagni | Part-time member |
| Pankaj Chandra | Part-time member |
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| S. S. Sodhi | 1997-2000 |
| M. S. Verma | 2000-2003 |
| Pradip Baijal | 2003-2006 |
| Nripendra Misra | 2006-2009 |
| A. K. Sahney | March–May 2009 (Interim) |
| J.S.Sarma | 2009-2012 |
| Dr Rahul Khullar | 2012-2015 |
| Ram Sevak Sharma | 2015–present |
Secretariat
TRAI is administered through a Secretariat headed by a secretary. All proposals are processed by the secretary, who organizes the agenda for Authority meetings (consulting with the Chairman), prepares the minutes and issues regulations in accordance to the meetings. The secretary is assisted by advisors. These include Mobile Network, Interconnection and Fixed Network, BroadBand and Policy Analysis, Quality of Service, Broadcasting & Cable Services, Economic Regulation, Financial Analysis & IFA, Legal, Consumer Affairs & International Relation and Administration & Personnel. Officers are selected from the premier Indian Telecommunications Service and also from the Indian Administrative Service.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ "TRAI website". Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/dropped-calls-may-earn-you-re-1-compensation/articleshow/49389019.cms
- ↑ "History of TRAI - About Us: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India". Trai.gov.in. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
- ↑ "TRAI Manual" (PDF).