TRAI Releases Recommendations for Cloud Service Providers; Suggests setting up of Regulatory Body


TRAI Releases Recommendations for Cloud Service Providers; Suggests setting up of Regulatory Body

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a set of broad guidelines that would have in its ambit Cloud Services Providers across India. The body suggested the setting up of a light touch framework that would be designed by the industry body, which would be formed through a three step process. To be registered with the Department of Telecom, the body will have elected office bearers.

The Cloud Service Providers body for now would necessarily include providers of Infrastructure as a Service and Platform as a Service. Software as a Service (SaaS) providers were recommended to enroll voluntarily if they so wished.

In the release TRAI mentioned that the governing body may review its experience and further deliberate upon the need to form multiple bodies for different purposes, such as to address requirements of different market segments. The DoT would review these observations after two years of the body being formed and functioning.

The process was initiated by TRAI in 2017 when it had sent a set of recommendations surrounding the legal & regulatory framework of cloud services and interoperability among others to the Indian government. The government accepted all recommendations and had then sought additional deliberations from the Department of Telecom about factors such as terms & conditions for registration of industry body, eligibility, entry fee, duration of membership and governance structure. An open house discussion was held on 28th February 2020 where stakeholders were invited to put their suggestions forward. Based on recommendations and suggestions discussed across the departments, the road map was set to set up an ad-hoc body that would look after the formation of the industry body.