Fueling ITeS Growth Engine

1. Fueling ITeS Growth Engine

2. Who Are We? • OSPAI is the OSP industry representative body • An association of all Other Service Providers including BPO’s / KPO’s etc. • Industry interface for the Government bodies like DoT, STPI, TRAI, SEZ, DIT etc., for growth of India’s Services GDP especially under the category of “Other Service Providers”

3. Aims • Present & discuss the challenges of the industry with concerned Authorities in the Government and to facilitate policy changes • Create awareness among our members regarding the: • Emerging & Next Generation technology trends in Telecom & IT • Sharing of Best Business Practices across industry

4. Objectives To collaborate with Department of Telecom, pertaining to issues like, but not limited to:- • To establish strategic relationship with government, to help formulate best policies and practices to promote co-operation. • Suggestions for simplifying the procedures of registration enabling faster registration of new OSP’s • Encourage and facilitate Work from Home for Call Centre Agents. • To make the Call Centre set up technology neutral

5. Launch Of OSPAI at New Delhi on 11th Aug 2008

6. OSP Industry - Facts • Indian ITeS-BPO grew by 30 per cent in FY2008 to reach USD 11+ billion in aggregate revenue • IT-BPO Direct employment in Indian ITeS-BPO crossed the 7 lacs mark, indirect job creation is estimated at about 2 million • BPO services exports up by 30% (USD), is the fastest growing segment across software and services exports driven by scale as well as scope. • Huge potential (USD 50 bn, + 2 mn additional direct jobs) to grow by ensuring competitive advantage for India through • Regulations in line with Global trends • Leverage infrastructure for domestic operations * Sources Nasscom

7. Industry Thanks DoTfor the amendments to OSP Policy • The concept of agent positions working from Home has been introduced. • The restriction of 10% outgoing PSTN lines in a Domestic Call Centre (DCC) and submission of associated Bank Guarantee of Rs.10 Lakhs has been dispensed with. • The amount of Bank Guarantee has been reduced in cases of resources sharing between International OSP and Domestic OSP. • Standalone OSP centres have been been merged with the Domestic OSPs category

8. Cont’d 5) Definition of ‘Telecom Resources’ has been expanded. 6) Documents required to be submitted along with the application form has been simplified. 7) A single application form for registration of OSP and uniform format for registration certificate to be issued by all VTM units to avoid discrepancies and eventually making the process online, have been prescribed

9. Executive Council • Mr. S.V. Ramana, President • Mr. N.L. Verma, Secretary General • Mr. Sanjay Diwan, Vice President • Mr. Sanjay Prasad, Vice President • Mr. P.V. Ramadas, Treasurer • Mr. Jitesh Midha, Executive Member • Ms. Archana Sasan, Executive Member • Mr. Manish Dewan, Executive Member • Mr. Sunil Cherian, Executive Member • Mr. Dinesh K. Shiv, Executive Member

10. OSPAI Board S V Ramana President Sanjay Prasad Vice President Sanjay Diwan Vice President N L Verma Secretary General P V Ramadas Treasurer

11. OSPAI Members

12. OSP Operational Issues • Return of BGs submitted earlier to DoT for Rs 10 Lacs towards compliance to 10% of lines be outgoing out of total PSTN lines incase of DCC and finalization of operational mechanism for replacement of old BGs of Rs 2.5 Cr and Rs 5.0 Cr for sharing of seats/PBX between ICC & DCC with new BGs of Rs 0.5 Cr and Rs 1.0 Cr • Submission of network diagram being mandated by certain VTM’s when the same is not required at the time of initial application • Prior approvals are not be required for change of Location / Change of floor of OSP, only intimation is required. However this is not followed. 4) Audit of existing call center before processing an application for a new call center be dispensed with 5) Problems related to usage of foreign IP addresses. (As per some of the VTM only IP Address provided by APNIC should be used). Use of foreigner IP addresses should be allowed (including customer extended IP’s) • Problem Created by several VTM’s in regard to getting Signatures on every page of memorandum and article of an association. • Speedy implementation of on line OSP registration • Different VTMs interpret the OSP guidelines differently • Readiness of BG for Work From Recommendation : In a view to clarify / resolve open operational issues; we request DoT to setup a monthly meeting involving all VTM’s with OSP.

13. Work From HomeCurrent Policy, Issues/Challenges & Suggested changes

14. Work From Home: Current Policy • The concept of Extended Agent Position (Work From Home) is permitted with the following conditions: • (i) The OSP operator shall submit a security deposit of Rs.5 crores with an agreement envisaging to meet certain obligations like exclusive use of home agent, all responsibility to be borne by OSP etc. • The agents at home shall be treated as Extended Agent Position of the call centre and interconnection is permitted through authorised service Providers Provisioned (secured) VPN (PPVPN) which have pre defined locations i.e. home of the agents and OSP centre as VPN sites. Over and above PPVPN, the OSP may use their own security mechanism like Authentication, Authorization and Accounting. Such work from home facility shall be limited to the SSA of the OSP Centre and adjoining SSAs. • The Authority shall have the right to carry out periodic / surprise inspections of such establishments.

15. Work From Home: Issues/Challenges & Suggested changes • Issue: Very High bank Guarantee; Rs. 5 Crore’s per registration • Suggested changes: Reduction of BG to Rs. 1 Crore per company • Issue: Restriction of coverage area to Secondary Switching Area (SSA) and adjoining SSA • Suggested changes: Permit ICC agents to work from home, anywhere in India • Issue: Work From Agents interconnection permitted only through VPN (PP VPN), PSTN not permitted • Suggested changes: Permit interconnection through PSTN based Voice-over VPN service, as penetration of broad band in far flung areas is low and unstable • Issue: No Proof-of-concept (PoC) allowed without BG • Suggested changes: Allow OSPs to run PoC with Service Providers for a limited period (say 6 months) after informing DoT, but without the need for BG. Production to start post BG only.

16. Work from Home – Voice VPN services Already approved with Bank Guarantee of Rs. 5 Crores No Connectivity between domestic PBX and OSP Call Center PBX (or with logical partitioning)

17. Sharing of PBX for ICC and domestic PSTN useCurrent Policy, Issues/Challenges & Suggested changes

18. Sharing of PBX for ICC and domestic PSTN use The current OSP Policy only allows sharing of PBX between ICC and DCC with logical partition & BG • Issue: ICC OSP community has to make high Capital investments for a separate PBX, phones, cables, LAN infrastructure for call centre and normal PSTN use • $200,000 for a 1000 seater facility • A non environment friendly IT resulting huge e-waste and global warming in long term. • Unable to compete with other countries like China, Philippines where single EPABX/other IT infrastructure is permitted. • Suggested changes: Permit sharing of single EPABX and other related IT infrastructure between ICC and domestic PSTN use with Bang Guarantee of INR 1 Crore for one company, with out the need for DCC.

19. Contd… • How separation will be achieved? • There would be no call connectivity whatsoever between the International Call Center partition and the normal Office partition on the PBX • A Single phone with dual buttons (one for ICC and the other for PSTN - normal PBX) will be deployed per agent location • Compliance “to NLD / ILD bypass” through logical partitioning • Calls cannot be conference/transferred/forwarded between the ICC partition and the PSTN partition

20. Introduction of CUG concept for ICC and DCCData/Voice Interconnectivity amongProvider of the same category of Service - OSPs

21. Permit CUG among ITES Companies 1. Permit interconnections of any two international OSP’s Current Policy : International OSP’s of same company/group company is permitted to interconnect their networks. Issue : International OSP’s not belonging to same group company are not permitted to connect to each other’s network within India for data/voice connectivity. • This is resulting in expensive connectivity costs • Loss of benefits like call overflow, BCP situation etc. Suggested Changes : Permit interconnect of any two international OSP’s networks with-in India with-out any restrictions. 2. Permit interconnections of any two Domestic OSP’s Current Policy : Domestic OSP’s of same company/group company is permitted to interconnect their networks. Issue : Domestic OSP’s not belonging to same group company are not permitted to connect to each other’s network within India for data/voice connectivity. • This is resulting in expensive connectivity costs • Loss of benefits like call overflow, BCP situation etc. Suggested Changes : Permit interconnect of any two Domestic OSP’s networks with-in India with-out any restrictions.

22. Contd… 3a. Permit interconnections between ICC and Client offices with-in India. Current Policy : International OSP’s of same company/group company are only permitted to interconnect their networks. Issue : International OSP and customer office in India are not permitted to connect to each other’s network for use of customer’s international bandwidth by an who is ICC providing services • This is resulting in expensive connectivity costs • Loss of benefits like call overflow, BCP situation etc • Slow application response for certain cases Suggested Changes : Permit International OSPs to connect to their customer network within India for data/voice connectivity to Access customer’s applications / systems in India as well as Abroad through customer’s International connectivity.

23. ICC and Customer Connectivity

24. Contd… 3b. Permit data interconnections between ICC/DCC and it’s contracted 3rd party company with-in India. Current Policy : International/Domestic OSP’s of same company/group company are only permitted to interconnect their networks. • This helps in providing services at lower cost • This will facilitate industry to be more competitive Suggested Changes : Permit OSPs to connect to outsource data work to 3rd party providers ( e.g. data entry operators ).

25. OSP connectivity with 3rd Party Service Provider 3rd Party company may not require OSP registration

26. Contd… 3c. Permit voice/data interconnections between ICC/DCC and it’s contracted 3rd party companies with-in India. Current Policy : International / Domestic OSP’s of same company/group company are only permitted to interconnect their networks. • This helps in providing services at lower cost • This will facilitate industry to be more competitive Suggested Changes : Permit OSPs to connect to outsourced work to 3rd party providers ( e.g. collections agents).

27. ICC/DCC Connectivity to 3rd Party Service Provider (3rd Party) (3rd Party) 3rd Party company may not require OSP registration

28. Telecom Service Providers & Convergence • Clarity / Permitting of Foreign Telecom Service Providers having channel partner agreement with Indian Authorised TSP, to provision bandwidth to OSPs, with Indian TSP approving network diagram. • Permit seamless integration of India PSTN with leased lines (TDM / VoIP), since ADC is abolished, to boost Indian Service Industry; i.e. full Convergence/Unified Communications

29. Recommendation In a view to review policy matters towards promoting industry growth and strengthen the industry to compete effectively; we recommend quarterly steering committee meeting with all stake holders.

30. Thank You !!!