| Telecom Regulatory Authority of India | |
|---|---|
The logo of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India |
|
| Abbreviation | TRAI |
| Formation | 1997 |
| Legal status | Created by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 |
| Purpose/focus | Independent regulator |
| Headquarters | Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, New Delhi 110 002 |
| Region served | India |
| Chairman | J. S. Sarma |
| Website | trai.gov.in |
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI, Hindi: भारतीय दूरसंचार विनियामक प्राधिकरण) is the independent regulator of the telecommunications business in India.[1]
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The policy of liberalization that was embarked by Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao in the 1990s helped the Indian Telecom sector to grow rapidly. The government gradually allowed the entry of the private sectors into telecom equipment manufacturing, value added services, radio paging and cellular mobile services. In 1994, the government formed the National Telecom Policy (NTP) which helped to attract Foreign direct investments and domestic investments. The entry of private and international players resulted in need of independent regulatory body. As a result, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India was established on 20 February 1997 by an act of parliament called "Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act 1997".
The mission of TRAI is to create and nurture an environment which will the enable quick growth of the telecommunication sector in the country. One of the major objective of TRAI is to provide a transparent policy environment. TRAI has regularly issued orders and directions on various subjects like tariff, interconnections, Direct To Home (DTH) services and mobile number portability.
In 2000, the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) was constituted through an amendment of the 1997 act, through an ordinance. The primary objective of TDSAT's establishment was to release TRAI from adjudicatory and dispute settlement functions in order to strengthen the regulatory framework. Any dispute involving parties like licensor, licensee, service provider and consumers are resolved by TDAST. Also, any direction, order or decision of TRAI can be challenged by appealing in TDSAT.[2]
Per the "Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Act, 2000", the authority shall have no more than two whole-time members as well as two part-time members. As of 2011[update], members are:
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| J S Sarma | Chairman |
| R. Ashok | Whole time member |
| H.S. Jamadagni | Part time member |
| V. Ranganathan | Part time member |
List of former Chairmen of TRAI:
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| S. S. Sodhi | 1997-2000 |
| M. S. Verma | 2000-2003 |
| Pradip Baijal | 2003-2006 |
| Nripendra Misra | 2006-2009 |
| A. K. Sawhney | March-May 2009 (Interim) |
TRAI functions through a Secretariat headed by a Secretary. All proposals for considerations are processed via Secretary, which organizes the agenda for Authority meetings (consulting with the Chairman), organizes preparation of minutes and issues regulations etc. in accordance to the meetings. The secretary is assisted by ten functional divisions, namely Mobile Network, Interconnection & Fixed Network, Converged Network & IT, Quality of Service, Broadcasting & Cable Services, Economic Regulation, Financial Analysis & IFA, Legal, Regulatory Enforcement & International Relation and Administration & Personnel.[3]