The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the 'Register of Interconnect Agreements (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026', which aims to digitize and modernize the framework for interconnect agreements.
On November 6, 2026, TRAI announced the 'Register of Interconnect Agreements (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026'. These regulations are intended to update and streamline the regulatory framework for interconnect agreements, promoting efficiency and transparency in the telecommunications industry.
The new regulations will take effect from a future date yet to be specified. The amendments aim to digitize the registration, submission, and access processes of interconnect agreements. Service providers are now required to register their agreements and modifications online through a portal established by TRAI.
Agreements in force as of January 1, 2027, must be submitted within fifteen days from that date, while new agreements and modifications should be registered within fifteen days of their execution or modification. This will facilitate efficient registration, maintenance of an updated register, and retrieval of interconnect agreements.
The amendments also require service providers to furnish electronic copies of interconnect agreements and modifications in text-searchable PDF format. The Register of Interconnect Agreements will be accessible online, allowing for easier inspection and retrieval of relevant documents. TRAI may also specify formats for obtaining disaggregated information that can be included in the Register within a specified period.
Additionally, 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 has been set at ₹500 per page. A graded financial disincentive framework has also been prescribed for contraventions of provisions of these regulations.
In order to ensure that the existing regulatory framework governing interconnection matters remains relevant, transparent, and conducive to efficient interconnection between service providers, TRAI initiated a review process in April 2025 through a Pre-Consultation Paper on the ‘Review of the existing TRAI Regulations on Interconnection matters’. After receiving comments from stakeholders, a Consultation Paper was issued in November 2025. The final regulations have been formulated based on these consultations and stakeholder feedback.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
