TRAI issues service quality standards for 3G voice calls

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today issued the Standards of Quality of Service of Basic Telephone Service (Wireline) and Cellular Mobile Telephone Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2012, laying down the network-related quality of service standards for the third generation (3G) networks covering voice calls.

TRAI, however, has kept the existing network-related quality of service parameters unchanged for 3G services as well since it felt it would suffice in the case of voice service although the nomenclature for some of the terms used in the existing regulations and the measurement methodologies may change.

TRAI has, accordingly, issued the amendments to the regulations.

These regulations have been formulated by amending the existing quality of service parameters for cellular mobile telephone service relating to network quality, prescribed through the Standards of Quality of Service of Basic Telephone Service (wireline) and Cellular Mobile Telephone Service Regulations, 2009, issued on 20 March 2009, a TRAI release said.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today said the reserve price for the telecom spectrum auction recommended by TRAI is extremely high and will hurt inclusive growth and will also be detrimental for the growth of the sector.

TRAI has proposed a reserve price of Rs3,622.18 crore per 5 megahertz (MHz) of pan-India spectrum block in the 1800 MHz band.

"Reserve price for the auction of spectrum as recommended by TRAI is extremely high, which will hurt the overall national interests, inclusive growth and will be detrimental for the growth of the industry particularly the expansion of telecom and broadband services in the rural areas," CII said in a statement.

TRAI came up with reserve price recommendations for the auction after the Supreme Court, on 2 February, ordered the cancellation of 122 telecom licences and asked the government to redistribute the licences through fresh auction.