TRAI- Is it the real Boss?

Another one of those idiocies that play out in Indian Telecom market. TDSAT has scrapped the order for reduction of International bandwidth rates; clearly flies in the face of logic to increase the broadband penetration. This order comes in from retrospective effect. Therefore, we all know that it was fools day announcement. I was guarded in my enthusiasm since I was sure that VSNL would appeal; it won too is a double whammy. A blow again to the cheap broadband access.

As per the article in Economic Times, it says that TDSAT wanted TRAI to divulge in a transparent manner as to how the cut in the rates were affected. Further, the article says, “According to VSNL, the price ceiling set by TRAI was below the basic cost of the company”.

VSNL lost out its monopoly status in carrying international calls to BSNL. Then, it has lousy orientation to the end user and individual customer. Despite its advertisements, they clearly need to lead the focus on Internet if they need to survive. Frankly, I feel that they have hired a good legal team, which was able to force the TDSAT to go against the national interests. Being a monopoly, it feels that it can abuse it to any extent.

Strange strange. No word from Reliance or Airtel. Is it that they are sitting quiet and watching? Or is it that they would not open up themselves at this juncture. Or they have quietly ganged up together? No word from them so far. Of course, the Media would be slow to react as always and fail to question the motives behind this.

This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on Techwhack.