GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of: Communication and Information Technology

DEPARTMENT OF: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 567
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2015

Status of TRAI consultations for Over the Top services

567. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR 

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:-

(a) the current status of the TRAI consultations on Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top services;

(b) the details of the consultation process followed by the Ministry, prior to drafting the report on Net Neutrality submitted to TRAI; and

(c) the date-wise details of the number of meetings conducted with experts, civil society activists sought before drafting of the report?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) TRAI has released a consultation paper on “Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top services” on 27th March, 2015 for inviting comments from various stakeholders. TRAI has received a large number of comments in response to the consultation paper on “Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top services”. These comments are uploaded in TRAI website www.trai.gov.in. 

(b) Department of Telecommunications has constituted a committee in January, 2015 to examine various aspects of Net Neutrality and recommend overall response to Net Neutrality. The committee held consultation meetings with stakeholders like Over the Top (OTT) players, Telecom Service Providers/Internet Service Providers, Civil Society Members & Consumer groups, Multi stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) formed by Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY) and various Associations/Industry bodies. The committee has submitted its report to Department of Telecommunications and the same has been uploaded on Department of Telecommunications website and MyGov portal on 16.07.2015 for comments and suggestions. Copy of the report has also been sent to TRAI. The report is not the Govt. report which is yet to take a final decision.

(c) Detail of consultation meeting held is as below:-