New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday released the Telecommunication Interconnection (Port Charges) (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026, introducing a framework for port charges for Internet Protocol (IP)-based interconnection to boost telecom interconnection and support seamless communication across networks.
The statement from the Ministry of Communications said the new regulations, effective from January 1, 2027, supplement the existing framework applicable to E1/Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)-based interconnection ports and align the regulatory regime with technological advancements and sectoral developments.
“Interconnection in telecommunications refers to the technical, operational, and commercial arrangements that connect two or more telecom networks, allowing telecommunications traffic to flow between them and enabling users of different service providers to communicate seamlessly,” the statement said.
TRAI initiated a review of the regulatory framework through a Pre-Consultation Paper to ensure that the existing regulatory framework governing interconnection matters remains relevant, transparent, and conducive to efficient interconnection between service providers.
Under the amended framework, the definition of a port has been revised to include both legacy E1 ports with a capacity of 2.048 Mbps and IP ports, with bandwidth measured in Mbps or Gbps.
The regulations prescribe annual ceiling charges of Rs 5.6 lakh for a 1 Gbps IP port and Rs 42.3 lakh for a 10 Gbps IP port.
The regulation also increased flexibility in interconnection arrangements. Interconnection providers and seekers may mutually agree to charges below the prescribed ceilings. They may also mutually agree to IP-port capacities other than 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps, with charges determined transparently using the same methodology as for 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps ports.
Section 11(1)(b) of the TRAI Act, 1997 empowers TRAI to prescribe the terms and conditions of interconnection between service providers, and to ensure technical compatibility and effective interconnection between different service providers, the statement noted.
The Telecommunication Interconnection (Port Charges) Regulation, 2001 prescribes the charges payable by an interconnection seeker to an interconnection provider for terminating interconnection links at its point of interconnection.
The extant regulations were based on legacy E1/TDM-based port technologies, and the charges prescribed therein were last revised in 2012.
(IANS)
