"Mobile charges for roaming are very high... I think they should be much lower than existing rates. BSNL does not charge roaming, why can't the private operators also take this initiative to bring them down," Maran said at the cellular summit organised by Cellular Operators Association of India.
The government on its part will do everything to remove all the hurdles coming in the way of growth of telecommunication, the minister said adding "but the operators also must reciprocate from their side."
Replying to industry's demand that the government should reduce the license fee and allow BSNL to share the infrastructure especially for the rural areas, Maran said, "Don't waste your time in Delhi making rounds to the ministry... Go to the rural areas and connect India. We on our part will do everything to see that all hurdles are removed one by one."
Maran also launched low price cellular handsets of Motorola costing about Rs 1,500 saying, "This would prove to be the crucial factor for future growth of telephony in the country and will go a long way in achieving the target of 250 million subscriber by 2008."