New Delhi, Nov 6 — The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has notified the Register of Interconnect Agreements (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, providing a framework for registration, submission and public access to telecom interconnect agreements, an official statement said on Friday.
TRAI said the new regulations will be effective from January 1, 2027, and are aimed at modernising the regulatory framework governing interconnection arrangements between telecom service providers.
Interconnection in telecommunications means the commercial and technical arrangements that connect two or more telecommunications networks, allowing telecommunications traffic to flow between them and enabling users of different service providers to communicate seamlessly.
Under the revised framework, all service providers will be required to register interconnect agreements and any subsequent modifications through a dedicated online portal established by TRAI.
The earlier requirement of furnishing printed copies along with a soft copy on floppy diskette has been abolished. Agreements in force as of January 2027 are required to be submitted within fifteen days from that date, and new agreements and modifications within fifteen days of their execution or modification. This will facilitate efficient registration, maintenance of an updated register, and retrieval of interconnect agreements.
Service providers will also be required to submit agreements and related documents in text-searchable PDF format within the timeline specified for registration to facilitate efficient processing, examination and retrieval of records.
The amended framework also enables submission of applications for inspection of the Register of Interconnect Agreements, access to the prescribed part of the Register, and obtaining copies or extracts thereof through the portal.
This will facilitate electronic access to the relevant portions of the Register in addition to the existing physical mode, thereby improving accessibility and convenience for members of the public, subject to the applicable regulatory provisions.
“The fee for inspection of the Register has been revised to 1,500 per hour or part thereof, and the charge for copies or extracts to 500 per page,” the statement noted.