CUG - Closed User Group |
A Closed User Group is a supplementary service
offered by network operators. It allows the creation of logical
groups of users within the operator's network.
The CUG supplementary service enables users to form groups
to and from which access is restricted. A specific user may
be a member of one or more closed user groups. Members of
a specific Closed User Group can communicate among themselves
but not, in general, with users outside the group.
The CUG supplementary service is applicable to all telecommunication
services.
Closed user group service in a mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for providing closed user group service
in a packet radio system, which includes at least one network
and at least one group including a plurality of subscribers.
The closed user group access conditions for at least one subscriber
are determined in the network, the access conditions include
at least one of the following conditions: right to communicate
with parties outside the group, and right to communicate with
at least one member of the group without communicating with
all members of the group. The access conditions are checked
when packets are being sent to/from the subscriber. The packets
are transferred if the access conditions allow the transmission.
A closed user group (CUG) selection facility is a specific
encoding element that can be presented in a call request or
an incoming call. A CUG selection facility in a call request
allows the source data terminal equipment (DTE) (e.g. mobile
handset unit) to identify the CUG within which it is placing
the call. A CUG selection facility in an incoming call allows
the destination DTE to identify the CUG to which both DTEs
belong .
CUG for mobile on (CellOne) post paid services for Corporate
users customised CUG with other built in facility are also
available .
 VPN
Tariff for Corporate and Non-Corporate customers
:
| Particulars |
Plan - 225 |
Plan - 299 |
Plan - 325 |
Plan - 525 |
| Monthly Rental in Rs. |
225 |
299 |
325 |
525 |
| VPN size |
Fixed monthly VPN charges per DEL in
Rs |
| 3 to 25 |
75 |
50 |
50 |
0 |
| 26 to 999 |
50 |
50 |
25 |
0 |
| > 999 |
25 |
25 |
0 |
25 |
| Call charges within VPN (Rs/Minute) |
Free |
| Call charges outside VPN (Rs/Minute) |
As per respective plan |
| Other terms and conditions |
As per respective plan / Available in
same LSA |
i)
CUG/VPN is also given in Plan-140 on monthly VPN charges
of Rs. 100 / 75 / 50
for group size of 3-25, 26-999 and >999 respectively.
ii)
CUG facility is available to the customers under
Plan-725 with the same charges /
conditions applicable under Plan-525.
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|
TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA
PRESS RELEASE No. 12 /2004
16th February, 2004
TRAI releases consultation paper on
CUG (Closed User Group) / Virtual Private Network (VPN) /
Friends & Family (F&F) Tariff Schemes
TRAI had released a consultation paper on "Application
of principle of Non-discrimination in tariff schemes like
CUG (Closed User Group), VPN (Virtual Private Network), F&F
(Friends & Family) etc. on 16th February,2004.
The development of technologies, reduction in the cost of
providing telecom services and escalation of competition in
the market have all resulted in telecom service providers
offering various innovative tariff schemes in the market.
It has come to the notice of the Authority that the tariff
under some tariff schemes in the nomenclature of Closed User
Group (CUG), Virtual Private Network (VPN) etc. has in-built
features to provide free /concessional calls to CUG /VPN members
when they make calls within
the group. This feature appears to infringe upon the principle
of non-discrimination, which has repeatedly been enunciated
by the Authority.
There is also a view that, tariff concessions applicable to
CUG/VPN subscribers of one network cannot be extended to subscribers
of another network by virtue of the definition of CUG/VPN.
The concern of the Authority is whether such tariff plans,
would amount to dilution of the
principle of non-discrimination emphasised by the Authority.
Considering the fact that services such as CUG/VPN have been
found to satisfy legitimate interests of various organizations
in the past, it was felt necessary to issue a consultation
paper to elicit the views of various
stakeholders.
Written comments are invited on this consultation paper latest
by 5 th March, 2004 mainly on the issues mentioned below :
a. Whether differential tariff for calls
within the network should continue to be treated as
discriminatory ?
b. Whether CUG and VPN tariff Schemes should
be disallowed as it involves differential call
charges and thus, amounts
to discrimination?
c. Whether certain terms and conditions
are to be prescribed by the Authority to ensure that
these schemes are not
misused?
If so, what would be the appropriate criteria to define aforesaid
conditions?
For more details please visit TRAI's website at: www.trai.gov.in.
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|
Remarks on closed user group :
|
• Regulatory
bodies namely Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and Securities &
Exchange Board of
India(SEBI) can connect to
any of these CUGs without extra charge provided they do not
switch traffic among networks
and furnish undertaking to this effect. In case of violation
of
the undertaking by them, interconnection
fee shall be charged from the date of approval. |
• Provided
that ultimate consumer of the product or service shall not
be a part of the closed
user group and also that the
network will be used purely for legitimate internal communica-
tion purposes of the group
where resale of telecommunication service and its profits
are not
involved. In respect of companies
against 5 , 6 and 7 above, the definitions available in
MRTP Act 1969 will be taken. |
• In case
of dedicated/captive networks for the use of closed user groups,
the equipment
shall be owned and operated
by the licensee within the scope of license (as granted by
the
Government). Third party ownership
and provision of service is not permitted. |
• The
character of the closed user group has to be maintained through
out the period of
validity of the permission
granted. |
• If a single
party leased line network is given a leased line connectivity
abroad to the principal/
sister concern of the network
hirer (any organization which comes under CUG category),
such network is not to be treated
as closed user group network for the purpose of charges
or otherwise. |
• The wholesale
traders/agents of their interconnected companies may also
be allowed to be
connected with the CUG Network
of the main hirer on the basis that these circuits for
wholesale traders/agents of
the inter connected companies will be charged rental of 25%
extra for each such circuit
connected to the CUG Network of the main hirer from the date
of
commissioning of such circuits. |
• Private leased
line networks were allowed to be connected with Inet/HVNet/RABMN.
A single
party leased line network is
not to be treated as a CUG network by virtue of such inter-
connection. There shall be
no restriction on the type of persons accessing a private
leased
line network through Inet/HVNet/RABMN
provided the network hirer is not selling telecom
services from his network to
any of such persons. |
