TRAI allows partial free national roaming, reduces ceilings on tariffs

V

Vignesh B

Youngling
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has slashed ceilings on national roaming tariff and has allowed telecom operators to provide free nationwide roaming to subscribers through Special Tariff Vouchers and combo packs.


The TRAI has also restricted national roaming tariff on outgoing local calls at Re. 1 per minute and Rs. 1.50 per minute on STD calls. Earlier, the ceiling tariff prescribed by the regulator was Rs. 1.40 per minute for outgoing local and Rs. 2.40 per minute for outgoing STD calls during roaming.


Limit on incoming calls during roaming has been capped at 75p per minute, down from Rs. 1.75 per minute. Tariffs for outgoing SMS local and STD while on national roaming have been capped at Re 1 per SMS and Rs. 1.50 per SMS respectively. Incoming SMS will remain free.


The new system will come into effect from July 1.


It's notable the TRAI has permitted for a partial free roaming system not a full-fledged one.


Explaining the reason behind the move, the TRAI says, “...There are still real costs incurred in providing the national roaming facility. Mandating a fully free regime is simply not practicable at this juncture. Compelling a transition to a fully free national roaming regime would result in telecom service providers not being able to recover their costs from roamers. In turn, telecom service providers would pass these costs on to all consumers (predominantly non-roamers) through their higher tariffs.”


The latest decision of the TRAI is likely to benefit all subscribers. Competitive pricing below the new ceiling levels is expected whereas the STVs and combo vouchers as well as special tariff plans and roaming tariff will cater to the specific roaming needs of different customer segments. Also, the move will not lead to increased burden on customers, especially those who don't use the roaming facility.
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Source - Think Digit
 
S

SunE

Professional Newbie
Seems like a good news. But they still should have provided nation wide roaming for free. I mean if the whole of Europe can provide free roaming then why not India??
 
reddick

reddick

Mobile Freak
On the other hand Telecom Companies warn govt. that they will raise top-up or other value added services tariffs if govt. compel them to reduce roaming charges. And they were doing also. As Reliance ,in my case, reduces two days in GPRS validity and they have not still reduce 3G data prices here which they had announced earlier :/ It's quite understood that nobody wants to compromise on profits than public policy .
 
Harsh Pranami

Harsh Pranami

Padawan
Yeah that roaming free all over india announcement was made by kapil sibbal 1 year ago. I don't think it will see the light for another 2 years.
 
omega44-xt

omega44-xt

Gear up ...
Harsh Pranami said:
Yeah that roaming free all over india announcement was made by kapil sibbal 1 year ago. I don't think it will see the light for another 2 years.
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No, we will see it when elections are closer. UPA will get a point for their election campaign. "We, UPA, have abolished roaming charges" :evil:
 
T

theterminator

Wise Old Owl
dashing.sujay said:
Why they shouldn't ? Their ARPU is at all time low and going lower and lower, and still you desire everything cheap and free ?
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yes, call rates in india are among the cheapest in the world. My comment is a reflection to that & I am a customer so I would want to have everything cheap but not at the cost of companies' survival .
one que: why dont indian companies offer subsidized phones?
 
dashing.sujay

dashing.sujay

Moving
Staff member
^Everything cheap despite of already being cheap, oh yeah great.

Subsidised phones is not possible as we don't have contract based system here.
 
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