Unhappy with your internet connection? TRAI asks for suggestions to create better benchmark

Key highlights:

• TRAI releases consultation paper data speed under wireless broadband plans
• Customers dissatisfied about internet service of operators can give suggestions
• It asks if average internet speed can be specified

Measurability of internet broadband speeds in India has been something that has been a point of displeasure. Though there has been a surge in the number of broadband connections in the country, there has also been accompanied by increasing reports of consumer dissatisfaction with the speed of data being provided to them under wireless broadband plans, said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in a new consultation paper.

The telecom regulator further said that customers who are dissatisfied with the services or prices offered by their operators should be able to easily switch to another provider, creating incentives for providers to innovate and offer competitive prices and quality of services (QoS).

Another issue the paper pointed to is that disclosures of internet speeds cannot be easily understood by the consumers. It said that misleading ads by internet service provides (ISPs) further add to the problems.

For all these reasons and others, Trai's consultation paper asks people their suggestions for setting up a benchmark for better internet connections in India.

The first question is on whether the information on wireless broadband speeds is currently being made available to consumers in a transparent enough for making informed choices. The next question asks if a minimum download speed cannot be committed, then can an average speed be specified by the service providers and what should the parameters for calculating average speed be.

TRAI also asks if changes can be made in the framework to bring about more transparency in tariff plans.

It also asks if there there is a need to include or delete any of the QoS parameters or revise any of the benchmarks currently stipulated in the regulations.

Another question it poses is that should disclosure of average network performance over a period of time or at peak times including through broadband facts or labels be made mandatory?

It even asks what products or technologies that can be used to measure actual end-user experience on mobile broadband networks and at what level should the measurement take place.

One of TRAI's questions in the consultation paper also asks if there are any legal, security, privacy or data sensitivity issues with collecting device level data.