The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has said new licensing rules will not include WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Telegram. The regulatory body stated that over-the-top (OTT) services will be excluded from the new licensing regime,

WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Telegram will not abide by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s new licensing rules. In a statement, the regulatory body said over-the-top services will be excluded from the licensing regime,

TRAI excluded OTT apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal from its latest recommendations on licencing regime released on September 18.

The tech and startup sectors have been in dispute with telecom operators over the potential inclusion of OTTs under a licensing system, a move that could have subjected them to taxation. TRAI has lowered the entry fees for telecom licences,

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has excluded communication over-the-top (OTT) services such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram from its new recommendations on authorisation or licensing regimes.