The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the Broadband India Forum (BIF) have not submitted responses to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) stakeholder consultations on network slicing, according to medianama.com. Both organizations, which represent major telecom and technology companies, have been vocal about network slicing but chose not to participate in the formal consultation process this year.
MediaNama reported that some telecom companies indicated a lack of consensus among COAI members on network slicing, which may have contributed to the absence of submissions. COAI represents telecom operators such as Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea, as well as infrastructure firms like Ericsson and Nokia. BIF’s membership includes companies like Samsung, Microsoft, AWS, and public sector undertakings such as BSNL and C-DOT. MediaNama reached out to both bodies for clarification but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
Network slicing is a critical technology for 5G networks, enabling operators to create virtual networks tailored to specific use cases. The input from COAI and BIF is considered significant due to their representation of key industry players. Their past remarks on network slicing have influenced regulatory discussions, making their current non-participation notable amid ongoing policy formulation by TRAI.
TRAI’s consultation process on network slicing remains open, with submissions from other stakeholders shaping the regulatory framework. The next phase of TRAI’s review will consider all inputs received, including those from individual companies and other industry groups, as the authority works to finalize guidelines for network slicing deployment in India.