The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India stressed the need to establish the Universal Services Obligation fund administrator for providing the telecom services to the rural areas of the country. The administrator should be an independent authority and modeled like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). USO fund is involved in national rural infrastructure and is currently administrated by the Department Of Telecommunication.

The Chairman of TRA, Mr Nripendra Misra said, "We have sought for a complete restructuring of the USO fund administration. Right now it is like any other government department and things move very slowly. We need to address the urban-rural divide very urgently for which the USO fund has to be given the authority to achieve the objectives efficiently."

He pleaded for the amendment the USO Act, to allow direct fund management by the organization without involvement of the budgetary process of the government. USO fund currently maintains about Rs 15,000 crore but funds are not being properly utilized due to the complex sanction process .TRAI had, earlier, asked that the spectrum management should be done by an independent body instead of the Wireless Planning & Coordination wing of the DoT.

TRAI has also raised fears over the 3G spectrum charges. 3G auction process is scheduled for January 16, 2009 but fresh controversy over price issue may delay the auction. TRAI chairman said, "Spectrum availability and allocation should be made transparent. There is a need of a professional organization to do this."