Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), on Monday directed Telecom operators to provide broadband services in a transparent manner. It asked operators to inform customers about the data usage limits of their broadband plans and the extent to which speed of connection will be reduced in case users breach the data quota cap.

“Broadband is a data connection that is able to support interactive services including Internet access and has the capability of the minimum download speed of 512 kbps to an individual subscriber from the point of presence (POP) of the service provider intending to provide Broadband service,” it said.

TRAI further directed all service providers providing broadband (wire-line or wireless) services to provide on their website and also in all advertisements published through any media, the following information in respect of all broadband tariff plans offered under Fair Usage Policy:

1. For Fixed broadband service:

• Data usage limit with specified speed
• Speed of broadband connection up to specified data usage limit, and
• Speed of broadband connection beyond data usage limit

2. For Mobile broadband service:

• Data usage limit with specified primary technology (3G/4G) for providing data services.
• Speed offered for providing data services beyond data usage limit.

The operator has to provide the above mentioned information to both new and existing subscribers on their registered e-mail address and through SMS on their mobile number registered with the service provider.

TRAI also instructed the operators to ensure that download speed of broadband service provided to the fixed broadband subscriber is not reduce below minimum download speed for broadband as defined by Department of Telecommunication, in any fair usage broadband tariff plan after expiry of assigned data quota of customers.

The service providers has to provide alert to the subscriber through SMS on his registered mobile number or to his registred email address each time when the user data reaches 50%, 90% and 100% of the data usage limit under his plan.