TRAI chief to chair South Asian Telecom Regulators’ Council

Recently TRAI hosted the plenary session of SATRC in New Delhi, where TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti was voted the chair of SATRC for the coming year.

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Context

Recently TRAI hosted the plenary session of SATRC in New Delhi, where TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti was voted the chair of SATRC for the coming year.

South Asian Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (SATRC)

It is a sub-regional activity of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) that coordinates and discusses telecommunication and ICT regulations among South Asian countries.
SATRC was formed in 1997 by the APT and the International Telecommunication Union Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
SATRC is composed of the heads of the regulatory bodies of 9 South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

● It is a Statutory body that regulates the telecommunications industry in India.

● It was established in 1997 by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.

● It regulates telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services.

● Composition: Chairperson + 2 whole-time members + two part-time members (All appointed by the Central Government).

● TRAI has also established the Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to adjudicate disputes between service providers, consumers and licensors.

● TRAI is not a completely independent telecom regulator. Under section 25 of the Act, Central govt. has the power to issue directions which are binding on TRAI.