21-08-2012, 10:14 AM
GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY
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INTRODUCTION
On April 1, 2002, the Government of India finally permitted Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) to offer Internet telephony services. Earlier, the legal and regulatory framework in India did not permit ISPs to offer Internet telephony. Under terms of the ISP license, telephony on the Internet was banned and if any ISP offered these services, the ISP licensee could have been terminated.
After the opening up of this sector, the Department of Telecommunications (“Dot”) has granted approvals and licences to several telecommunication companies to commence these
services. Though the quality of Internet telephony services may not be as high as the normal international long distance services, their low cost will definitely attract more consumers.
Further, with the rapid advancement in technology, it is only a matter of time that the gap between the two forms of voice communication is bridged.
INTERNET TELEPHONY
The Internet is a global network of close to 100 million people. It provides a vast range of telecommunication services, including electronic mail, the World Wide Web, and more recently, telephony. With appropriate software.
Recently, some companies have started services that allow such users to even talk to people who do not have an Internet connection, but only a regular phone, at a cost far below regular long-distance charges.
“Internet Telephony is a form of Internet Protocol (“IP”) Telephony.”
LICENCING INTERNRT TELEPHONY SERVICES IN INDIA
Pursuant to the New Telecom Policy, 1999, the DoT has announced guidelines permitting ISPs to process and carry voice signals (“Guidelines”). ISPs can only offer these services
within the service areas for which they have a licence. Pursuant to the Guidelines, the DoT has revised the Licence Agreement for ISPs to include the provision of Internet telephony services (“Revised Licence”). The Revised Licence has been issued under the authority granted to the DoT under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1855, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the TRAI Act, 1997.