"Our Intention Is Not To Have Another Bureaucracy"

align="right" hspace="0" width="148" height="182">Having come

into force on 25 January 1997, the Telecom Regulatory Authority

of India (TRAI) should be celebrating its first anniversary, this

month. Established to regulate the telecommunication services and

the related matters, TRAI has successfully resolved certain

crucial issues. Recently, it has brought out a consultative paper

for restructuring telecom tariff. But, still the image of TRAI as

an effective and efficient regulator has largely remained

debatable. TRAI chairman Justice SS Sodhi discloses his

game plan to Puneet Kumar. Excerpts:

width="13" height="13"> TRAI was formed to interact with the

communications industry from a closer quarter. Have you been able

to meet that target?

Our intention is not to have a large

bureaucracy. At TRAI, we wish to raise everything in an open and

transparent manner, after full consultation. Because, we believe

that the best safeguard against stumbling into error is to

proceed open. We have said, any industry representative can come

and share problems with us. But if the industry itself does not

want to come forward, then how can we help!

width="13" height="13"> What are the issues that you think need

immediate redressal?

I think the issue of interconnection and that

of fixing a time frame to grant clearances to enable private

operators to start functioning are the major issues that need to

be resolved immediately. In fact, shortly, we will be organizing

a joint sitting of DoT and private service providers to place

their respective demands. I think this will remove a lot of areas

of contention.

width="13" height="13"> TRAI has sought public participation in

the tariff restructuring. What exactly prompted you to begin the

whole exercise?

It was long time ago that the telecom tariff

was looked upon. And today when telecom is being proved as one of

the major factors influencing the economic growth of the country,

it has become essential to make telecom tariff promotional.

alt="Justice SS Sodhi, chairman, TRAI" align="left" hspace="2"

vspace="2" width="148" height="236"> color="#8080FF" size="3"> height="13"> When will you be able to announce the final tariffs?

We have organized open consultative sessions in

almost all the major cities in the country where in we have asked

the industry people to send in their comments by 23 December.

These suggestions will be incorporated in the second consultative

paper which will again be floated in the industry for open

discussions before giving it a final shape by the middle of this

year.

width="13" height="13"> While the industry has hardly settled

with new rules of the game as per the licence conditions,

don’t you think TRAI’s decision to restructure the

telecom tariff is a bit hurried one?

TRAI is here to help in the expansion of

telecom sector. To ensure its growth, to provide for a very

robust and viable telecom sector, and not to kill it. We have a

teledensity of 1.6. With this teledensity, should we continue for

another three or more years without taking any step to ensure

that it increases? We have already wasted a lot of time. Now it

is time to expand the sector as quickly as possible.

width="13" height="13"> DoT seems to be in a habit of rushing to

the High Court for every decision you take. Are you planning any

way out?

These are teething problems and can be sorted

out. And we do not mind DoT going to the court either. For, the

court will take its own course of action. However, what worries

us about DoT going to the High Court is that it adversely affects

the investor’s confidence.

World-over, keeping the investor’s

confidence in mind that regulatory bodies like TRAI have been set

up. But when the dominant operator questions the jurisdiction,

power, and functions of TRAI, our perception is that it can have

an adverse effect on the investor’s confidence. This is a

serious issue which affects the effectiveness of such a body.

Government should take a policy decision that whether such things

should be done.

width="13" height="13"> TRAI has asked telecom companies to

submit their performance report. What exactly is the motive

behind?

Consumers, today, are not a satisfied lot in

our kind of set-up. And our intention is to see how best consumer

can be benefitted. Therefore, to address their problems, this

whole exercise is planned. For example, how many complaints does

an operator receive and how many of them are being sorted out.

So, at first place, we will have an idea about the quality of

operator’s services and second how efficient one is in

clearing the problems.