Assocham: Internet Calling has Killed Telcos’ SMS Business

Assocahm has welcomed the govt proposal to regulate all comm services provided by services like WhatsApp and Viber.

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Associated Chambers of Commerce (Assocham), has welcomed the proposal to regulate domestic Internet call services provided by apps like WhatsApp and Viber.

It has said that the government should expand the scope of regulation to all kind of communication services offered by over the top (OTT) players.

While ruling that domestic calls by OTT (over-the-top) CS (communication service) players would be regulated, they have most illogically exempted both international VoIP calling by OTT CSPs as also all messaging by these players. This is rather bizarre.
— T V Ramachanrdan, Chairman, Assocham Telecom Council

He said that while almost everyone everywhere swears by net neutrality, each has his or her own perception or understanding of it.

All voice and messaging are strictly governed by The Telegraph Act and have to be covered by regulation and licence.
— T V Ramachanrdan, Chairman, Assocham Telecom Council

Ramachandran also said that OTT messaging has virtually destroyed the telcos’ SMS business and a level playing field is the highest priority.

Committee unhesitatingly recommends that the core principle of net neutrality be adhered to. We need not hard code the definition of net neutrality.
— T V Ramachanrdan, Chairman, Assocham Telecom Council

Whereas IT sector body Nasscom has said that monitoring compliance of such recommendation would lead to breach of privacy.

Nasscom President and former telecom secretary R Chandrashekhar has said that whole exercise has come about how to protect revenues of telcos which should not be the objective.