Wireless Federation

Internet Service Providers have been allowed to provide unrestricted Internet Telephony that implies that they can terminate Internet telephony calls on PSTN (public switched telecom network) and vice-versa. TRAI has even given the consent to national long distance (NLD) operators to connect to ISPs through public Internet (Internet cloud). TRAI said that ISPs and NLDs will have to thrash out mutual agreements for unrestricted Internet telephony for this to take place. As this will result in lower STD tariffs, this move will further boost competition in the domestic long distance segment. The move will permit calls from personal computers to fixed line and mobile phones. Currently, a voice call can travel between two computers but not from a mobile or a fixed phone. This is expected to open huge channels of revenues for ISPs. According to a regulator, NLD shall make suitable commercial and technical arrangements with access providers i.e PSTN/PLMN (public land mobile network lines) for unrestricted Internet telephony. According to TRAI, TEC (Telecommunication Engineering Centre) will identify distinct number resources for Internet telephony subscribers. Telephone numbers from the identified blocks will be allocated to ISPs, UASPs (unified access service providers), BSOs (basic service operators) and CMSPs (cellular mobile service providers) for Internet telephony.

Irish operator Eircom will increase the phone bill charges from 30 July. The monthly PSTN line rental will increase by EUR 1.18 and the average customer bill will increase by approximately 3.6 percent. The average Irish telephone bill for both business and residential customers remains below the EU average for national and international call baskets. The line rental charge is a contribution to the cost of provision and maintenance of the infrastructure connecting each customer to their local exchange.

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