March 21, 2002

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GUIDELINES FOR ISSUE OF PERMISION TO OFFER INTERNET TELEPHONY SERVICES

    The New Telecom Policy’99 envisaged opening up of Internet Telephony whereupon the Government has decided to permit the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to process and carry voice signals with effect from 1st April, 2002, subject to the following broad guidelines:-

  1. Only ISP licensees are permitted , within their service area, to offer such service.

Scope and Definition of Internet Telephony Services

2.1 Internet Telephony means an Application Service, which the customers of ISPs can avail from their Personal Computers (PC) capable of processing voice signals or other IP based Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) as mentioned below:-

a) PC to PC (Both within as well as outside India).

b) PC to Telephone (PC in India to Telephone outside India)

c ) IP based H.323/SIP Terminals in India to similar Terminals both in India and abroad, employing IP addressing scheme of ‘IANA’
    1. Access to the ISP node through the authorised facilities of authorised cable operators shall be permitted subject to the provisions of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 as modified amended or replaced from time to time.
    2. The addressing scheme for such a communication involving transmission of voice in packetized data format through the public internet, will conform to IP. Addressing scheme of Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) alone and not the National Numbering Scheme/plan applicable to subscribers of Basic/Cellular Telephone Service, as defined by Department of Telecom.
    3. Internet Telephony Service offered by ISPs is different in nature, scope and kind form the real time voice, offered as telecommunication service by operators such as BSO, CMSO, NLDO, PMRTS etc. under their existing license.

3. The following are outside and do not fall under Internet Telephony Service:

    1. Voice communication from anywhere to anywhere by means of dialing a telephone number (PSTN/ISDN/PLMN) as defined in National Numbering Plan;
    2. Originating the voice communication service from a Telephone in India;
    3. Terminating the voice communication to Telephone within in India;
    4. Establishing connection to any Public Switched Network in India;
    5. Dial up lines with outward dialing facility from nodes.
    6. Interconnectivity between ISPs who are permitted to offer Internet Telephony Services and the ISPs who are not permitted to offer Interent Telephony Services.

Quality of Service

  1. Quality of Serice (QOS) shall be as prescribed from time to time by TRAI/Licensor; however, at present QOS is not prescribed.

    2. Tariff/Notes
  2. The TRAI has forborne and not levied tariff for Internet Telephony offered by ISPs over public internet; however, TRAI may review and fix a tariff at any time during the validity of ISP license which shall be binding on the licensee.
  3. If found necessary at any time during the validity of the ISP license, the licensor reserves the right to impose license fee including Universal Service Obligation (USO) levy.

    4. Security Monitoring
  4. Suitable additional monitoring system is to be set up by ISPs carrying Internet telephony traffic through their Internet gateways, at their own cost, as per the requirement of the security agencies and the cost of maintenance of the monitoring equipment and infrastructure at the monitoring centre located at the premises of the licensee shall be borne by the ISP.

    5. License Agreement
  5. (i) ISPs desirous of offering Internet Telephony Services shall be required to sign a Amendment to the ISP license agreement to such effect. Draft agreement will be put on the DOT website dotindia.com

(ii) The Amendment to the ISP license agreement shall be issued and governed by the provisions of Indian Telegraph Act 1885, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and TRAI Act, 1997.