Telecom firms must provide interconnect: Trai

Mobile subscribers will now be able to access Intelligent Network (IN) services such as toll free numbers of other service providers. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has issued a regulation that will enable all users to have access to multi-operator, multi-service IN platforms.

The regulation seeks to ensure that specific innovative services, which are made available through IN services, will not be restricted to telecom service providers who have deployed the IN platform, but also be available to subscribers of other operators.

The regulation mandates cellular companies to provide interconnection to all eligible operators so that subscribers of all access providers will have a choice of using the IN services of other mobile operators.

At present, consumers are offered a number of innovative services through IN deployed by service providers in their network. Free phone or toll free numbers, virtual calling  card (VCC) for long distance calls, are some of the popular examples of such services.