<h1>TRAI Slashes Access Facilitation & Co-Location Charges at Submarine Cable Stations to Boost Broadband & Competition.</h1> The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued new regulations for Access Facilitation Charges (AFC) and Co-Location Charges at submarine cable landing stations, effective January 1, 2013. These charges, payable by International Long Distance Operators and Internet Service Providers to cable landing station owners, have been significantly reduced. The revised charges aim to lower the cost of International Private Leased Circuits, enhance the availability of international bandwidth at competitive prices, promote the growth of broadband services, and increase competition in the international bandwidth market. This move is expected to benefit BPOs, call centers, SMEs, and other IT-enabled service providers.