Frequent Travellers within India who use mobile phones can rejoice. Roaming rentals have been done away with, SMSes can be received for free and roaming rates have been cut by 22 to 56 per cent. The new rates and changes will come into effect from February 15.
New Rates Outgoing Local Calls
Rs 1.40
Outgoing NLD Calls
Rs 2.40
Incoming Calls
Rs 1.75
(per minute)
On Wednesday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) fixed a ceiling on the maximum permissible per-minute charges for roaming calls. Currently, operators levy a roam ing charge varying from Rs 1.50 to Rs 3 per call and charge a rental starting from a minimum of Rs 50 per month. TRAI's order directs that mobile operators cannot enforce any type of fixed or recurring charge -- say, a daily, weekly or monthly rental -- on a subscriber for using the roaming facility.
Customers may, however, have to pay higher charges for outgoing SMSes, since TRAI has allowed operators to fix their own tariff.
The Cellular Phone Users' Association of India, a consumer forum, welcomed the order. "It shall facilitate inter-state trade, commerce and the movement of people throughout India," it said.
But telecom operators were unhappy. T.V. Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators' Association of India, said in a statement: "The adverse financial impact on the industry of the reduction in roaming tariffs notified by TRAI is expected to be to the tune of Rs 800-900 crore."
From: HT, JAN-25,2007
