DoT notifies norms for network testing before commercial launch of Wireline Access Services

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) yesterday notified the norms for network testing before the commercial launch of Wireline Access Services by UL and UASL licensees. As part of the norms, the number of test subscribers in an LSA will be limited to 5% of its installed network capacity for that LSA by a licensee who has to submit the detailed capacity calculations of the network to DoT and TRAI at least 15 days before commencing enrolment of test subscribers.

The licensee needs to give DoT and TRAI intimation 15 days before commencing enrolment of test subscribers in its networks before the commercial launch of services for testing purposes. All licensing provisions related to security and privacy including adequate verification of each and every customer before enrolling him as a subscriber, protection, and privacy of communication, maintaining Call Detail Record (CRD), IP Detail Record (IPDR), Confidentiality of Information, Lawful interception and monitoring, etc must be complied with by the licensee.

Licensees intending on enrolling test subscribers for testing of their network need to transparently give sub-optimal level of network performance, scope of services during the test period, CPE free of charge, no fixed charge or usage based charge, and likely date of commercial launch information to the test subscribers at the time of enrolment.

The licensee during the test phase is bound to submit test subscriber-related statistics and their usage to DoT and TRAI. There will not be a limit on the time limit if network testing is conducted using wireline telephone test connections given to employees and business partners for test purposes only. There will however be a 90 days limit on the test phase involving test subscribers with Licensee allowed to request for an extension to DoT due to valid reasons.