TRAI mandates IP for India's new connections starting January 2027
Big update for India's phone networks: TRAI wants every new telecom connection to use Internet Protocol (IP) technology starting January 1, 2027.
Existing legacy E1/TDM-based POIs get three years to migrate to IP-based interconnection in a phased manner too.
The goal? Smoother calls, better sound quality, and more efficient traffic management as everything moves online.
TRAI revises routing and reassessment rules
The new rules will simplify how calls are routed by shifting from old-school distance zones to service area levels, meaning less lag and smarter traffic flow.
There's also a fresh framework for managing network capacity and an option for operators to voluntarily surrender POIs for operational reasons.
Plus, the reassessment interval has been extended from six months to 12 months, and the validity of bank guarantees furnished following reassessment has also been extended, making things a bit easier on telecom companies.
All these tweaks come after lots of industry feedback and aim to keep India's networks modern and competitive.