The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday issued the Telecom Tariff (69th Amendment) Regulations, 2022 for the tariff for SMS and mobile broadcast alerts disseminated through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) platform during disasters/non-disasters. During disasters and non-disasters, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has required TRAI to provide a tariff for SMS alerts and mobile broadcasts and messages to be distributed by TSPs through the CAP platform.
“Considering the importance of alerts or messages sent as per the guidelines issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Authority has decided that no charges shall be levied for such SMS/Cell Broadcast alerts or messages sent during or prior to a disaster. disaster or after the disaster is over,” Trai said. CAP was developed by the state-run telecom research organization C-DoT and allows local areas to be marked on a map and alerts sent. C-DoT has integrated radio stations, DTH players and railway stations for early warning purposes of CAP. C-DOT will expand it in a second phase to include all radio, television and train station locations to send out warning alerts.
DOT allows free SMS/Cell Broadcast only for certain period and for events where specific request for free messages comes from NEC/NCMC/SEC/Nodal Authority. However, there are cases where the government would like to send warning messages to the public warning of a possible disaster or cases where the public needs to be informed about special events such as holding relief/vaccination/medical camps/specific law and order. situation etc. SMS sent during disaster and non-disaster but without any instruction under Disaster Management Act but through Common Alert Protocol (CAP) will be charged 2 paise termination fee by telecom operators on whose network it is sent.
In line with past practice, TRAI issued a consultation paper on “Tariff Issues Related to SMS and Cell Broadcast Alerts Disseminated Through Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Platform During Disasters/Non-Disasters” on November 3, 2021, seeking comments and counter-comments. from stakeholders by December 1, 2021 and December 15, 2021. The Authority also held an Open Door Discussion (OHD) via video conference on the issues raised in the consultation document.
After considering and analyzing the views of all interested parties/stakeholders, the Authority has inserted in the Master Tariff Order Schedule XIII to Article 3 of the Telecommunication Tariff Regulations, 1999, which provides the following tariff for Short Text Message (SMS) services and mobile alert broadcasts disseminated by service providers through Common Alerting Protocol platform. The Authority has decided to prescribe a tariff of Rs. 0.02 (paisa two only) for SMS alerts/messages sent during disaster and non-disaster other than those sent as per instructions issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005).
Keeping in view the importance of alerts/messages sent as per the instructions issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Authority has decided that no charges shall be levied for such SMS/Mobile Broadcast – Alerts/messages sent during a disaster or before the notification of a disaster or after its expiration. TRAI said TSPs will broadcast messages to all subscribers through mobile broadcast for free during disaster and non-disaster periods.
