The rising demand of personalized marketing, data-driven services, and telecommunication oriented business has given rise to call centers. As a result, India, a country that already has the largest number of active call centers and other IT enabled business in the world, has seen even more increase. But there is a another factor that’s responsible for this sudden rise, and it’s the DOT OSP License.
A DOT OSP License or OSP Registration or OSP License is the authorization to use telecommunication resources to provide IT enabled services. Issued by the Department of Telecommunication, the DOT OSP License registration process has become so accessible that almost everyone wants to get it to jumpstart their call center business. However, in that excitement, they tend to forget some important factors related to that. One of them is the Type of DOT OSP Licenses.
Through this article, we tell you how many types of DOT OSP License are there. Along the way, you’ll also know about the small details of OSP that many tend to ignore.
What is an OSP?
An OSP is an Other Service Provider who uses telecommunication resources to provide IT enabled services by setting up centers that include:
- Call Centers
- Business Process Outsourcing Centres
- Recruitment Process Outsourcing Centres
- Knowledge Process Outsourcing Centres
- E Commerce Centers
- Tele-Banking Centers
- Tele-education centers
At these centers, there are two types of call centers conducted:
- Outbound calls
- Inbound calls
An Outbound call is one where the OSP center sends out more calls than it receives. Through these calls, the aim of the OSP is to generate leads, talk to the clients, asking them questions. The end goal of an outbound call center is customer acquisition and sales.
An Inbound call center is one where the OSP center receives more calls that it sends. Through these calls, the aim of the OSP center is to provide services to the callers. These services can include software support, hardware support, recruitment support and more.
What is an OSP License?
One required vast telecommunication resources to conduct inbound and outbound calls at a profitable scale. However, that can pose a threat to the national security of the country if there is no oversight on the use of these resources. That’s why, the Department of Telecommunication, as per the New Telecom Policy 1999, has made it mandatory for the OSPs to get the DOT License before they can start their business.
Types of DOT OSP License
Full honesty, there is only a single type of OSP License or DOT OSP registration. However, depending upon the type of business that you do, the types of OSP Licenses are given different labels:
- Call Center License: If the motive of your OSP is to provide call center services. That is, a way to connect your customers to your clients via your outbound or/and inbound calling techniques, then you’d label the OSP License as the call center license.
- BPO License: If the goal of your OSP is to provide Business process outsourcing services, RPO services, LPO services or KPO services, than most like to label the OSP License as the BPO License.
Another way to differentiate between the different types of OSP Licenses is by understanding the range of their network:
- Domestic OSP License: If your OSP services, regardless of what IT enabled services they are, are bound within India only, then OSP registration is called the Domestic OSP License.
- International OSP License: If your OSP services are spread across the globe, than that means you resources are networked in a way to handle international calling. Keeping that in mind, your OSP registration will be called the International OSP License.
Note: Keep in mind that the label is not just for show. What business you conduct, how you use the resources and in how many regions you give the IT enabled services, are all mentioned in the OSP registration number you’re issued.
Requirements of DOT OSP registration
To acquire the any type of OSP License, you need to be eligible as per the following criteria:
- Private limited Company or Limited Liability Partnership: As an individual proprietor or a partnership, you can’t file the application for DOT OSP License registration. You need to file the application on behalf of a business entity registered under either the Companies Act or the Limited Liability Partnership Act. In other words, you need to get setup either a private limited company or a Limited Liability Partnership.
- Telecommunication resources only by an Authorized service provider: The DOT OSP License can only be issued if the telecommunication resources you use are provided from an authorized service provider. It means that your service provider needs to have the IP1 License.
- Network diagram should have the prior approval: The network diagram is the blueprint of how telecommunication resources are mapped in your organization. Once you’ve designed the diagram, you have to get approval for it from the TERM cell. Only after that approval you’d be allowed to attach the diagram to the application during the OSP Registration process.
The OSP Registration Process
The OSP registration process is a five step process:
- Setting up your business as a Private Limited Company or a Limited Liability Partnership.
- Furnishing the documents required to get the DOT OSP License Registration.
- Filing the online application of OSP Registration available at the SARAL SANCHAR portal.
- Letting the Department of Telecommunication thoroughly process your application.
- Getting the OSP registration Number once the application is approved.
The second step is the most important one among them, for it requires you furnish the required documents. The process also includes getting the document certified by the authorized professional:
- Certificate of Incorporation of your Private limited Company or your Limited Liability Partnership.
- Memorandum of Association and Article of Association in case you’ve registered a Private Limited Company.
- LLP agreement in case your business entity is an LLP.
- List of directors/ partners of your company/LLP
- Shareholding pattern of the company/LLP
- Approved Network Diagram of your OSP.
- A description of your OSP within 60 words.
- A power of attorney in the prescribed format to authorize a professional to file the application on your behalf.
Conclusion
The types of DOT OSP License is differentiated by the type of business that you do, and the area that your OSP covers. In India, a country that empowers the world’s call center economy, you should know about all the small details involved with the acquiring DOT OSP registration. Now through this article, you know about them all.
