Ceiling on tariff for calls, SMS meant for participating in contests and games
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), on Friday, came out with a new tariff order, making it mandatory for operators to offer at least one tariff plan each for post-paid and prepaid subscribers with a uniform ‘one second' pulse rate. It has also put a ceiling on tariff for calls and SMS meant for participating in contests and games.
In its amendments to the Telecommunication Tariff Order (TTO), TRAI said the rates for ‘premium rate services' (PRS), now levied by service providers, were substantially higher vis-a-vis the normal tariff applicable for a two-way communication because the charges levied also included the price for content.
“Keeping in view the fact that calls and SMS made for participating in competition and voting hardly contain any content, the authority has mandated that the tariff for such calls and SMS shall not exceed four times of the applicable local call/SMS charges,” it said. The new amendments also provide flexibility to service providers to apply revision in ILD (international long distance) tariff uniformly for new as well as existing subscribers.
Meanwhile, TRAI has announced a minor hike in the processing fee for all mobile recharge coupons (top-up vouchers) priced above Rs.20.
“The authority has decided to increase the ceiling on processing fee on top up vouchers to Rs.3 from Rs.2 in respect of top-up vouchers having a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs.20 and above and to continue with the existing ceiling of Rs.2 in respect of top up vouchers having MRP of less than Rs.20,” a TRAI statement said.
Notably, the processing fee is included within the MRP of recharge coupon purchased, which means that a pre-paid customer will get slightly lesser talk time for his recharge coupons.
TRAI has also directed all telecom service providers to provide consumers with at least one top-up voucher priced at Rs.10.
“With a view to protecting the interests of users, the authority mandates that every service provider shall offer and make available to the consumer at least one top up voucher, of denomination of Rs.10,” it added.
Keywords: TRAI, telecm operators, pre-paid plans, post-paid plans, one second pulse
I think there is no need of using the phrase 'protection of costumers'
through Rs.10 coupon which is already exist. There is no relief to the
costumers by mandating 'per second pulse rate' which is already existing
but the burden is made by TRAI is increase of processing fee on the
recharge coupons. TRAI do not have any experimented ruling which would
happy the costumers, such as the failed SMS regulation that made public
angry. It seems TRAI is sandwich between corporate and public which do
not able to generate any poor friendly regulation.
Whenever a charge revision happens and facilities given by TRAI to the users, the same takes years to take effect diluting the efforts. Ruling is there to cut off the roaming charges, but the same is still to take effect. 3G is launched, but the cost involved, when it comes to end user level is so high that people think twice before using the same. India is made poor by our own people even though it is rich in resources and fast in adaptability to technology.
Wht about the loot by telecom providers during festive times? Deepavali, bakrid, Christmas, is still "just another" day for the billing computer systems. Why charge more for those days?
if govt has mandatory to telcom companies to charge per sec, then why people have to recharge every 3mnth, 6mnth or 1 year with a recharge coupen to get per second plan.. recently my per sec plan expired and i had to recharge to get per sec plan. i am an airtel user...
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