By Sarasvati NT

“This concept of a single ‘converged’ framework to handle all types of communications, regardless of the medium, has found favour in few markets,” reads the submission by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The feedback deals with the question raised by India’s telecom regulator in its consultation paper seeking to address the issue of regulating digital technologies with a specific focus on enabling convergence of carriage of broadcasting and telecommunication services.

In January, TRAI released a consultation paper ‘Regulating Converged Digital Technologies and Services – Enabling Convergence of Carriage of Broadcasting and Telecommunication services’ exploring the idea of a converged regulation and regulator, licensing/permission-based regulation for providing online services, among other things.

Submissions by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, NASSCOM, and Broadband India Forum have questioned the need for a converged regulatory framework and a regulator raising concerns related to jurisdictional uncertainties, disruption in business activities and impact on consumer choice.

AVIA’s comments deal with the question of regulating telecommunication and internet services in the same manner and the implications of doing so. Here’s a quick roundup of the key concerns highlighted by the body.