Trai Seeks Stakeholders' View on Machine-to-Machine Connectivity

Keeping in view the exponential evolution in the digital space and the growing importance of machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity, the regulator on Tuesday issued a consultation paper on the matter inviting views from stakeholders.

"The latest entrant to the digital space is the machine-to-machine communications. The connected devices deliver innovative services by utilizing the M2M communication technologies," the paper said.

Written comments on the consultation paper - 'Spectrum, Roaming and QoS (quality of services) related requirements in Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communications' - are invited from the stakeholders by November 15 and counter-comments by November 29.

"M2M communication has potential to bring substantial social and economic benefits to governments, citizens, end-users and businesses through increase in productivity and competitiveness, improvements in service delivery, optimal use of scarce resources as well as creation of new jobs," the consultation paper stated.

In May, 2015, the government had come out with 'National Telecom M2M roadmap' with the purpose of boosting development of M2M based products and to provide efficient citizen-centric services in India.

It said M2M and Internet of Things devices will have very big societal impact once they are put together in larger, interconnected systems.

"Their biggest market will be smart cities wherein cities are expected to perform smartly in order to efficiently utilize the available infrastructure to improve efficiency and sustainability of a whole range of urban activities."

The consultation paper asked: "What should be the framework for introduction of M2M Service providers in the sector? Should it be through amendment in the existing licenses of access service/Internet Service Provider license and/or licensing authorization in the existing Unified License and UL (Virtual Network Operators) license or it should be kept under Other Service Providers category registration?"

It also asked the stakeholders: "Do you propose any other regulatory framework for M2M other than the options mentioned above?"

The paper also sought opinion about the quantum of spectrum required to meet the M2M communications, keeping a horizon of 10-15 years.

It also asked: "In case permanent roaming of M2M devices having inbuilt foreign SIM is allowed, should the international roaming charges be defined by the Regulator or it should be left to the mutual agreement between the roaming partner?"