Vodafone Essar has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) opposing the regulator's move to review the interconnection usage charges (IUC) regime that can lead to end of mobile termination charges, hence cheaper tariffs.
Stating that it will be a deviation from the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and Supreme Court's directions on the issue, the mobile operator has said the TRAI's proposal “does not take cognisance of or has deviated from the directions of both the bodies (TDSAT and Supreme Court), in relation to the timing, (of the consultation paper which was floated by TRAI last month) the principles enunciated and guidance given by them in several key areas.”
Mobile termination charge (MTC) is paid by an operator to another on whose network the call ends. Doing away with the termination charge is likely to bring the mobile tariffs down.
Interestingly, while new operators given licences in 2008 are demanding an end to MTC, while old operators, who have more than 90 per cent of the subscribers, are against it.
