Why DoT is an iDioT

The tremendously independent telecom policy maker of India, TRAI, has sent recommendations to DoT asking the admin guys to allow VoIP in its full form. It is likely therefore that you will finally be able to save some lawyer fees that you must have paid so far in order to understand the mind boggling complexities of VoIP regulation in India. For the market, though, I reckon the policy decision – if taken – will be at least 10 years late. In the UK when International Simple Resale (ISR) hit the market, Ofcom put a price cap on BT. BT could not lower down its price by more than X% per year on its ISD rates. Let us do a PhD to understand why. Assuming you are regulating a market driven segment of an economy, you would ideally protect the consumer interest by strengthening the competition in the segment. That is why resellers... [read full story]