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TRAI Does Not Know Whether Telcos Are Enforcing Tariffs for Unsolicited Data Package
Moneylife Digital Team 04 December 2019
Investor Interest
Strange as it may sound, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) does not know if telecom services-providers are enforcing tariffs for unsolicited data package along with voice service on subscribers. 
 
Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister of communications, law & justice and electronics and information technology, while responding to a question in the Lok Sabha stated, "The TRAI is not in notice of the telecom service providers enforcing tariffs in respect of unsolicited data package along with voice services in the name of free service to be charged later from consumers."
 
Hans Raj Hans, member of Parliament (MP), asked the question about enforcing of tariffs by telcos. He had asked whether the issue of enforcing tariffs for unsolicited data package along with voice service in the name of free service only to be charged later from consumers has come to the notice of the TRAI.
 
He also asked whether the TRAI is aware that telcos are rampantly changing consumer’s tariff plan at the back end without their consent thereby charging high bills. 
 
Responding on this, Mr Prasad, the minister stated, "The telecom tariff order (TTO) issued by TRAI mandates that a tariff plan once offered by a service provider shall be available to a subscriber for a minimum period of six months from the date of enrolment of the subscriber to that tariff plan. The Telecom Tariff Order further provides that the subscriber shall be free to choose any other tariff plan even during the said six months’ period." 
 
On Tuesday, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel have decided to increase tariff by as much as 50% for their pre-paid subscribers, while Reliance Jio has decided to increase tariff by 40% from 6th December. (Read: Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea To Hike Pre-paid Tariffs by over 40%; Try To Compensate Customers with Data, Other Services)
 
Vodafone Idea announced that the 'on-net' voice calls would be billed at six paise per minute. The 'on-net' voice calls after the provided FUP limit will be charged 6 paise per minute, similar to Reliance Jio. It is also providing bundled 'on-net' minutes, whereas Jio will be charging customers for IUC 'top-up' vouchers.
 
Interestingly, just last month, TRAI had floated a "Consultation Paper On Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers". The paper aims to empower end consumers by making available all relevant information to them and to eliminate the instances of adverse choices made by consumers due to lack of information, misleading information or due to difficulty in assessment or comparison of information. 
 
The paper says, "It has been observed that the service providers are offering various non-telecom services as a part of the bundled offering to the existing and prospective customers. Many complaints have been received regarding the charges being imposed on the customers after the free subscription period (if offered) of such service to customers is over. It has also been noted that there may be certain situations in which there may be conflict between the obligations of the service providers as regards tariffs and as regards bundled offerings."
 
This applies when a tariff plan from the telco offers a free subscription of certain service for a period exceeding six months and the service-provider proposes to change the tariff or discontinues the tariff plan after six months, the subscriber runs the risk of losing the remaining free subscription period if he does not agree to the revised tariff or exercise option to migrate to the plan offered.
Comments
P M Ravindran
6 years ago
Why only telcoms? What about cable and dish TV? Why should we pay for bundled packages when we need only a few of them ? Isn't technology available for such customised choices?
Reply
Haridasan N
6 years ago
Trai is supposed to be on alert as to what the service providers are up-to. Timely intervention is a must from Trai to arrest the unscrouplous attitude of the service providers thinking always to loot customers.
Reply
m.prabhu.shankar
6 years ago
All these are nothing but looting the customers. TRAI should become more vigilant and start imposing severe fines on the service providers. Market Economy / Privatization is fine but regulation should be strict. Punishment given to violators should be so severe that others should not even think of doing this once in their lifetime.
Reply
laxman guruvayur
Replied to m.prabhu.shankar comment 6 years ago
We the subscribers r enslaved to service providers as mobile usage has become part of daily life
Reply
Sudhir Rao
6 years ago
Even Govt owned BSNL, it seems, is outsourcing some services to private companies. And such private companies are levying 1o TIMES the charges for their services, on BSNL lines; and with consent of the BSNL. This is nothing but looting.
Reply
Sandeep More
6 years ago
Even today on a simple call recharge without data, a certain telecom company deducts charges for unsolicited subscriptions like caller tune, Jyotish and what not. Complaints fall on deaf ears
Reply
Jairam S Narayan
6 years ago
I am happy the ministry has come to know of this. Everyday I get calls from the service provider, regarding free or lifetime package available. How far this is true and believable I am not sure. We fall prey to such offers and later on we realize that we are being charged for the services we never use or have never used. It is not too late for the ministry to take stern action against erring service providers
Reply
Nakul Kumar Reddy
6 years ago
Better to move ,tarrif plan suit for us
Reply
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