Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been monitoring the congestion of the Point of Interconnections (PoIs) between service providers on service area-wise, against the benchmark of 0.5%, through monthly congestion report submitted by the service providers. Shri Milind Deora, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology informed Lok Sabha today in a written reply that

“As per the PoI ongestion report for the period July 2011 to September 2011, it is seen that as of September 2011, there are 50 places where the PoI congestion is beyond the prescribed benchmark. As per the PoI congestion reports for last one year the problem is more persistent in Bihar, Uttar Praesh (West) and West Bengal service area”, said Milind Deora, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.   

He also said TRAI has taken several steps to address interconnection issues which are directly related to congestion at the PoIs due to which the inter-network communication is affected.

TRAI is monitoring the provision of interconnection so as to avoid delay in augmentation of interconnection. Any delay in the provision of interconnection is taken up with the concerned service providers for early resolution of issues affection augmentation of interconnection.

All these measures have led to reduction in the number of PoIs having congestion from 75 such PoIs in June 2011 to 50 in September 2011 in spite of increase in the number of connections and the consequent increase in traffic.