New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday rejected the Department of Telecom’s suggestion to slap higher entry fee for full-fledged Internet telephony by internet service providers (ISPs).

In a reply to DoT, Trai said, “The authority proposes no change in entry fee for ISPs to provide Internet telephony with facility to terminate calls on mobile and fixed networks through Internet cloud. UASLs (telecom license holders) cannot be compared with ISPs in terms of facilities and resources they get for the entry fee paid.”

Suggesting a higher entry fee for ISPs, DoT had said, “How a level-playing field would be ensured between the Access Service Licensees (telecom license holders), who pay up to 10% of AGR as license fee, and Rs1,658 crore as entry fee, and ISPs who would have to pay flat rate of 6% of their AGR from internet telephony services (excluding revenue from internet service).

“What should be the entry fee for ISP license with additional facility for providing internet telephony services.”

DoT had brought the issue of level-playing field saying Category-A ISPs would pay just Rs20 lakh for all-India Net telephony services and for B category cities, they have to pay Rs10 lakh.

As of now restricted internet telephony is allowed wherein calls can be made only to computers.