Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday recommended that National and International Long Distance operators be permitted to offer STD and ISD voice calls using operator-specific calling cards, a move that will give subscribers the freedom to choose a service provider.
In its recommendations to the government, Trai said the provision of calling cards would allow consumer to exercise choice of long distance operator for the national and international calls.
"Through long distance calling cards customer can make long distance calls from telephone of any access provider....
Consumer can subscribe to any access provider and still not be dependent on the access provider for long distance calls," Trai said.
The authority has, therefore, recommended amendment of NLD/ILD operators licence conditions to allow them to access customers directly for national and international long distance calls, respectively.
Competition brought in by carrier selection was considered important for bringing in operational efficiencies in the long distance segment and also in offering choice, quality and affordable prices to the consumers.
Telecom sector was in the process of opening up and availability of carrier selection was considered an important pre-requisite for vibrant competition.
These steps are expected to empower the Indian telecom consumer further as the consumers would now be able to exercise choice of carrier for the national and international calls only through calling cards.
Earlier this week, the regulator has curbed the restrictions on internet telephony and has allowed the ISPs to offer unrestricted telephony which is expected to further lower the STD tariffs. The recent recommendations is expected to further boost competition in the telecom sector.
Carrier Access Code is a mechanism that allows subscribers to choose a long-distance operator, irrespective of their service provider. However, the alternate plan of virtual calling card has been recommended as the service providers were not ready to implement the CAC.
