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Description of
the project
National
Telecom Policies of 1994 and 1999 have opened the telecom
services to private
operators. However, there has been a feeling that private service providers have
not been provided with a level-playing field vis-à-vis the incumbent operators.
Naturally, lots of policy issues are involved and need some time to be
adequately resolved. These issues have been raised time and again in various
fora. The industry has so far focused on non-technical concerns like license
fee, pricing, powers of regulatory bodies, etc. There are a number of technical
issues, which are as important in providing a level- playing field. In telecom
business, the incumbent service provider has huge advantage over competitive
service providers, because of existing infrastructure, and a large
customer-base. For example, the number portability is very important for
providing level-playing field. A customer may not be very keen to change its
service provider if it requires changing of telephone number as well. If the
regulator can enforce number-portability, then it will be easier for customers
to switch operators. Now, there are several different ways in which such a
service can be provided by the telecom switches. One needs to study different
technical alternatives, their applicability (compatibility) in existing
networks, cost, and other such issues. The issue of number portability becomes
even more crucial for free phone service providers, since free phone customers are
even less likely to change their phone numbers than individual customers.
Similar study is needed for providing a fair environment to long-distance
operators. A customer should be allowed to exercise a choice of a long-distance
operator. Also, if a customer wants that a specific call be carried over another
long-distance network, it should be possible. Naturally, this also involves
technical issues.
Technical issues will also be important when we
consider level-playing field to Internet service providers, and other services.
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