TRAI mandates minimum speed limit for wireless data services

So, if the operator promises 7.2 Mbps download speed then they have to ensure at least 5.4 Mbps or above.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated minimum quality of service for wireless data services in the country. With this regulation in place, operators will have to offer basic minimum quality of service in each area.

While issuing "The Standards of Quality of Service for Wireless Data Services Regulations, 2012", TRAI has ordered every operator to set up a test base wherever they provide data services to ensure that quality of service guidelines be met.

According to the new regulation, which will come into force from 1st January 2013, provision or activation of data services is to be done within four hours of receiving the request.

It has also asked operators to ensure 80 per cent success in case of download attempt and 75 per cent in case of upload. Also, minimum speed of each plan has to be measured and reported to TRAI. The best part is that it has asked operators to ensure 75 per cent subscribed speed is actually received by the subscriber. So, if the operator promises 7.2 Mbps download speed then they have to ensure atleast 5.4 Mbps or above. Data drop rate also has to be below 5 per cent.

To improve transparency, all the operators have been asked to publish, on their websites, the details of all data services offered, along with their tariff, clearly indicating the cities and towns where such data services and tariff plans are applicable.

The new regulations also bars operators from offering new data services or modify the existing data services or tariff without prior publication on their websites.