Functions of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in India
One of the main functions of TRAI is to enable licensing of telecommunication technologies like data services, carrier services, access services and unified licensing.
Licensing- Under the licensing of internet services, the Government established a liberal licensing regime to increase internet penetration across the nation. Under the access services, the unified access service providers within their area of operation provide services like cover collection, carriage, transmission, delivery of voice and/or non-voice messages over Licensee’s network by deploying circuit and/or packet switched equipment.
Under the cellular mobiles services, the nation is divided into 23 service areas consisting of 19 telecom circle service areas and 4 metro service areas for providing Cellular Mobile Telephone Services.
Unified Licensing- After considering the recommendations of TRAI, the Government decided to grant Unified Licenses to licensees to overcome the existing segregation of licensing, registration and regulatory mechanisms to enhance affordability, increase access, delivery of multiple services and reduce cost. The basic features of UL include delinking allocation of spectrum from the licenses and obtaining it separately as per prescribed procedure and authorisation of services which inter alia include unified license, access service, internet service, national long distance etc.