Indian mobile operators’ body COAI has apparently requested DoT to take active steps to stop calls through applications, like the one recently planned by state-owed BSNL, saying that the system flouts rules. In a letter written to Telecom Secretary JS Deepak, COAI has said that connecting Internet calls with networks using numbers that are assigned for mobile or landline phones violate the current interconnection rules and cause loss to the end operator and exchequer. We, therefore, request DoT to kindly take proactive steps to prevent such illegal routing and strongly suggest that DoT must direct all respective licencees to not terminate Internet Telephony calls by misusing the interconnecting links, COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews wrote in the letter.
The COAI, that represents GSM technology based operators like Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone and Telenor has also written similar letters to stop fixed mobile convergence service of state-run BSNL. Reliance Jio Infocomm is also another member of the COAI but the industry body said that Reliance Jio has a divergent view on the matter. The FMC facility recently launched by BSNL now allows users to use landline service on their mobile phones like making and receiving calls and vice-versa. It even has provisions to allow BSNL customers to activate their FMC application on mobile phone using WiFi or any other data connection and then use their landline facility to make calls even if they are abroad.
BSNL has currently withheld this facility and is awaiting clarification on the same from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) after COAI complained about it. COAI said that as per license condition, telecom operators are required to adhere to National Numbering Plan for providing telephone services and it has provision for fixed as well as mobile phones.
