The plethora of tariff schemes offered by telecom service providers has caught the attention of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
In a consultation paper on regulating the number of tariff plans, Trai has sought comments on the need to further reduce the cap on the number of tariff plans an operator can offer and the need to regulate the structure of these plans. The present cap on the number of tariff plans is 25 per operator.
Trai has also sought comments on the steps needed to improve transparency in the tariff offers. The responses have been invited by February 28.
At present, the tariffs are forborne (decided by the operator and informed to the regulator within seven days), except in the case of fixed-line rural services, national roaming in mobile service and leased circuits.
"However, the competitive activity has resulted in a large number of tariff offers being made by the service providers in order to acquire and retain subscribers. Transparency in service provision is, and has been, one prime issue of concern for the authority," it said.
The paper says that as and when there are any changes in any aspect of tariff in the chosen package, the operator should intimate, in writing, such changes to those subscribers whose tariff packages undergo a change.
It also said that no chargeable value-added services should be provided to a customer without his consent.
Any value-added services which were earlier provided free of charge shall not be made chargeable without the explicit consent of the user, it added.
Any tariff plan presented, marketed or offered as having long-term or lifetime or unlimited validity in lieu of an upfront payment shall continue to be available to the subscriber for the duration of the period as prescribed in the plan, it added.
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