New Delhi: Addressing the Telcom consumers’ demand, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directed the telcos to offer at least one tariff plan which allows a recharge validity of 30 days. The order has been issued under the 66th Amendment.
Trai said that the enactment of the amendment will give more options to telecom consumers to choose service offerings of appropriate validity and duration.
”Every Telecom Service Provider shall offer at least one Plan Voucher, one Special Tariff Voucher, and one Combo Voucher having a validity of thirty days,” reads the order.
The telecom regulator further added, ”Every Telcom Service Provider shall offer at least one pan Voucher, one Special Tariff Voucher and one Combo Voucher which shall be renewable on the same date of every month.”
It is expected that consumers will have now more informed tariff-related choices.
The amendment came after the regulator registered comments and counter comments from stakeholders on the ”Validity period of Tariff Offers” through a Consultation Paper. The Paper was issued in May last year.
However, Telecom Service Providers did not receive positive responses to the proposal.
Airtel said that the current plan of 28 days validity is good because a large percentage of prepaid customers belong to a very low-income group.
Reliance Jio commented that the recharge on the same day every month is not technically possible as this is primarily a postpaid structure.
Vodafone Idea observed that the new plans would require a massive change and gigantic efforts.
Notably, TRAI countered the telecom operators’ claim, citing the international market as the ”prepaid tariffs rechargeable on the same date of every month is in vogue internationally”.
