Pai Strengthens Ties With TRAI

Ajit Pai, the first Indian American to chair the FCC, has struck an agreement with the head of his regulatory counterpart in that country, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for closer cooperation between the agencies on issues like accelerating broadband deployment and spectrum policy for mobile broadband.

What is described as a "sideline" meeting between Pai and Trai Chairman R.S. Sharma during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona produced the letter of intent for cooperation, though it is a nonbinding agreement.

It calls for mutual exchanges of best practices, bilateral workshops and video conferences.

Pai has made closing the digital divide and promoting mobile wireless broadband key platforms.

"“I look forward to working with Chairman Sharma and his staff as both of our agencies strive to promote innovation, investment, and growth in communications technologies in order to bring digital opportunity to all of our people," said Pai.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.