One feature of the proposed telecom law for 2022 would be welcomed with open arms by Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. A significant amount of competition from OTT (over-the-top) communication applications had begun to affect all three telcos. Customers now have the option to make audio conversations over data without restrictions on location thanks to apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and more. Customers no longer had to worry about paying for overseas calls as a result. All that was required of the customers was an active internet connection, which the telcos were offering at a very reasonable price.
Telecom operators must comply with extensive regulation and pay licence costs, as well as other fees and levies, to provide communication services, but OTT communication applications are exempt from all of that the telecom operators feel very unsatisfied. The fact that OTT communication applications were developing because of the operators’ cheap internet meant that more users would soon abandon utilizing mobile networks and default voice apps for voice and video calls. It could be a problem for the operators’ revenue streams.
Wi-Fi networks can even be used by customers to continue making calls through WhatsApp and other applications. But the recently unveiled draught telecom law 2022 opens the door to the possibility of regulating OTT messaging services like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal. The government would provide specifics on how this regulation will be put into effect. There would be many new factors at play for the OTT communication apps, however, it wouldn’t necessarily be similar to how the telecoms are currently controlled.
The aim of the government’s actions is not to violate people’s privacy. However, this is being done to guarantee that their security is upheld. Consumers need to be aware of who is calling or texting them. There is a lot of potentials for fraud to be carried out using OTT communication applications because they are not yet regulated.
The government’s efforts to level the playing field for everyone will please Jio, Airtel, and Vi. The telcos have long wished for this to occur. The consultation process for the draught telecom bill 2022 is underway.