Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

19-October-2012 16:57 IST

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the amendment to ‘International Telecommunication Access to Essential Facilities at Cable Landing Stations Regulations, 2007’ and Consultation Paper on ‘Estimation of Access Facilitation Charges and Co-location Charges at Cable Landing Stations’ in New Delhi today.

Submarine Cables, a vital international telecommunication link between countries across the world, terminate in a country through cable landing stations. Access Facilitation Charges are the  charges, which are payable by International Long Distance Operators/ Internet Service Providers to the owner of the cable landing station for leasing/ acquiring international bandwidth  in a submarine cable.

TRAI had issued a consultation paper in March, 2012 for seeking comments on issues related to cost-based access facilitation charges and collocation charges. Based on the comments received from the stakeholders, the Authority has decided to amend the regulations making suitable provisions for specifying Access Facilitation Charges, Co-location Charges and other related charges like Cancellation Charges and Restoration Charges. Simultaneously, TRAI is also issuing a consultation paper on ‘Estimation of Access Facilitation Charges and Co-location Charges at Cable Landing Stations’.

TRAI has invited written comments of all the stake holders on the issues raised in this consultation paper by 6^thNovember, 2012. Counter comments, if any, may be sent by 14^th November 2012. The comments/ counter comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form at [email protected] or [email protected].

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BK/AT

Access facilitation charges for submarine cable landing stations specified, with co-location and related charges defined following stakeholder consultation. Amendments to the Regulations provide for specification of Access Facilitation Charges, Co-location Charges and related charges payable by international long distance operators and ISPs to cable landing station owners, and a consultation paper sets out the proposed methodology for cost-based estimation of those charges, inviting stakeholder comments and counter-comments within the consultation timetable.