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Telecom Operators Urge Easing of Stringent QoS Norms by TRAI

2025-01-13

Telecom operators in India are pushing back against the stringent Quality of Service (QoS) norms introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). They have approached the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to request an easing of the rules governing data collection at the cell level. Introduced in October 2024, these norms require operators to collect data on network availability, call drops, and voice packet loss, among other parameters. Operators argue that these measures are burdensome and costly, with no similar requirements in other global markets.

Despite these concerns, the DoT has maintained that TRAI has already addressed the issue. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing major telecom players like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, has also raised issues related to Right of Way (RoW) problems, spectrum interference, and infrastructure challenges that hinder the timely rollout of services, particularly 5G.