The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced that over-the-top (OTT) platforms like WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Telegram will not be part of its new licensing rules. In an official statement, TRAI confirmed that these popular messaging services will be excluded from the new licensing regime, which aims to establish a unified system of authorization across various telecom services. The decision reflects the complexity of applying traditional telecom regulations to internet-based platforms.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI’s new licensing framework seeks to streamline and simplify the regulatory environment for telecom services in India. The initiative, known as the "One Nation, One Authorization" framework, proposes a single license for various telecom services, allowing an entity to provide services like mobile, internet, broadband, landline telephone, long-distance communication, satellite communication, and emerging technologies such as machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) services.
According to TRAI’s recommendations, these services are categorized under three major groups:
Main Service
Auxiliary Service
Captive Service
This unified approach is designed to foster greater efficiency and reduce operational costs for service providers.
Despite their growing influence in communication, apps like WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Telegram have been excluded from these new rules. These OTT platforms are known for providing internet-based voice and video calling services, which have a massive user base in India. However, the exclusion limits their ability to expand into other forms of communication, particularly satellite-based services that require a different type of regulatory framework.
TRAI’s decision prevents OTT players from entering areas traditionally dominated by telecom companies, such as wireless and satellite communication services.
Telecom operators such as Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have been pushing for the inclusion of OTT platforms under the same licensing rules that they follow. Telecom companies argue that these OTT services offer similar communication features like voice calls, video calls, and messaging, which directly compete with traditional telecom services. By excluding OTT platforms from the licensing framework, these apps remain outside the same level of regulation and taxation that telecom companies must adhere to.
Telecom operators have emphasized that bringing OTT platforms under the new licensing regime would allow for greater regulation, enabling fair competition, and ensuring that these companies contribute to the national tax system in the same way telecom companies do.
In response to the telecom industry's demands, OTT platforms like WhatsApp and others have maintained that they already comply with India’s existing Information Technology Act. They argue that additional licensing requirements are unnecessary and would impose undue burdens on their services.
Moreover, these platforms primarily rely on the internet for their operations, making it difficult to apply traditional telecom licensing requirements, which focus on infrastructure-heavy services like satellite communication and broadband.
Under the new licensing regime, providers who obtain authorization will be allowed to enable satellite-based voice and messaging services. This is a significant development, as satellite communication is emerging as a critical component for extending connectivity in remote areas. Furthermore, TRAI's recommendations encourage providers to share infrastructure, both active and passive, to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
The regulatory body has also suggested removing the entry fees levied during license renewal to ease the financial burden on telecom operators and other service providers.