Trai's satcom paper seems to have sidestepped level playing field: former SC Judge to Jio

Telecom regulator Trai's consultation paper on spectrum allocation for satellite communications seems to have completely sidestepped the issue of level playing field with ground-based telecom networks, a former Supreme Court Judge said in response to a legal opinion sought by Reliance Jio Reliance Jio is learnt to have submitted the legal opinion received on a consultation paper floated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) from former Supreme Court Judge L Nageshwara Rao.

Reliance Jio has urged telecom regulator Trai to come up with a revised paper on spectrum allocation for satellite communication alleging that it ignores the key point of ensuring level-playing field between satellite and terrestrial services.

"In the present facts, the consultation paper issued by Trai seems to have completely sidestepped the issue of level playing field with terrestrial access services. This has resulted in deprivation of opportunities for the stakeholders to provide comments and for the Trai to engage in robust consultations before providing recommendations, as specifically requested by the DoT," Rao said in his legal opinion sought by Reliance Jio.

He said that by not inviting comments on the aspect of level playing field with terrestrial access services, the Trai is in blatant violation of its transparency obligations under Trai Act.

The company had earlier written to Trai Chairman, Anil Kumar Lahoti, for the revision of the consultation paper on recommending rules for "terms and conditions for the assignment of spectrum for certain satellite-based commercial communication services" but the regulator has rejected the request of the company.