Hold consultations on norms: Bharti Airtel tells TRAI

Seeks talks on issues not raised before

FILE PHOTO: A girl checks her mobile phone as she walks past the Bharti Airtel office building in Gurugram, previously known as Gurgaon, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India April 21, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo GLOBAL BUSINESS WEEK AHEAD SEARCH GLOBAL BUSINESS 15 JAN FOR ALL IMAGES

Bharti Airtel has urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to take cognisance of a TDSAT order and hold fresh consultations before framing guidelines to ensure transparent, non-discriminatory and non-predatory tariff offers.

Norms for self checks

The Telecom Disputes and Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), this month, asked TRAI to work out guidelines for telcos to perform self-checks for ascertaining consistency with the principles of Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) compliance and non-predation.

TRAI had in March issued a consultation paper on ‘Regulatory Principles of Tariff Assessment’. The consultation process had been completed before the TDSAT order.

Bharti said the issues and pricing norms with respect to which TDSAT had directed TRAI to “issue necessary guidelines had neither been dealt with in any past consultation paper, nor had the same been discussed in an open house discussion.” These issues were “extremely critical” for the sector and had a significant impact on consumers, it added.

“We request the TRAI to initiate a fresh consultation paper and seek inputs [as is done for all consultation papers] and hold an open house discussion on the same before finalising and issuing any guideline.”

The proposed regulations are expected to put an end to the controversy that started after Reliance Jio launched itself with a ‘welcome offer’ giving free voice and data to its subscribers for three months. It later extended the free offer till months till March 31, 2017, naming it ‘Happy New Year’ offer.

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea had alleged that Reliance Jio’s offer was in violation of norms that limited promotional offers to 90 days. However, TRAI, in January 2017, said that Reliance Jio’s two plans were distinct from each other and did not flout any regulatory norms. Post this, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular moved the TDSAT against TRAI. While TDSAT said the two plans of Reliance Jio did not violate any rules, it added that the company did not adhere to the seven-day limit for reporting a new offer to TRAI.