The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has proposed that 4-5 large traffic-generating (LTG) platforms like OTTs responsible for the disproportionate traffic growth on telecom networks should bear the equitable share of costs, as the industry body argued that telcos shouldering the full burden is ”neither sustainable nor prudent”.

COAI noted that start-ups and MSMEs need not come under the ‘fair share model’, as their share of contribution to the overall traffic is small compared to LTG (large traffic generating) platforms, PTI reported from New Delhi.

Mooting various models and approaches to address the issue – which has become a flashpoint between OTTs and telcos, COAI said, ”The best solution is for an equitable share of these costs to be borne by the 4-5 LTGs responsible for the disproportionate traffic growth”.

Such a model would also safeguard the interests of startups and MSMEs, it said.

”…model 5 emerges best suited towards addressing this continuously rising infrastructure cost driven by accelerated data usage due to LTG traffic,” the COAI paper pointed out.

Putting the entire burden on telecom service providers (TSPs) is neither sustainable nor prudent, the COAI said, batting for the model where 4-5 LTGs causing disproportionate traffic growth can shoulder a fair share of network costs.

”This is a feasible option and addresses all concerns of various parties – that is net neutrality, double dipping and others,” COAI said in the white paper.

It analysed and formulated five models of resolution to the issue at hand, and said two of these models were workable solutions. ”However, the final recommendation is for a model that keeps MSMEs and Startups out of the ambit of fair-share (as consistently maintained and intended by the TSPs), and shows that the burden on the TSPs due to the LTGs’ growing traffic patterns, even without the smaller players, is substantial and needs to be addressed,” SP Kochhar, Director General of COAI, said.

A worldwide debate is raging presently on whether the large traffic generating (LTG) platforms/applications – including over-the-top (OTT) service providers, such as video streaming and messaging platforms, should contribute towards the associated network costs, the industry body observed.