The Hindu Business Line : TRAI seeks to limit number of tariff plans

THE Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to limit the number of tariff plans announced by service providers in order to help the subscribers make a more "meaningful choice''.

Accordingly, the authority has notified the Telecommunication Tariff (21st Amendment) Order, 1999 and the TRAI (Levy of fee and other charges for tariff plans) Regulation, 2002.

The 21st amendment to TTO provides that at a given point of time not more than 25 plans shall be on offer by a service provider so that the subscriber can make an informed choice from amongst the available tariff plans. It also provides that all service providers shall give an advance notice of not less than 30 days to the subscribers as well as the authority before terminating an existing tariff plan.

As per the regulation, the authority has invested itself with the power of levying a fee for processing, scrutiny and approval of tariff plans. For each tariff plan filed with the authority for approval, the service provider has to pay Rs 2,000. The fee is similar for any change/modifications to be made in the tariff already approved or submitted for approval.

No fee will be levied if the tariff plans filed are in respect of tariffs which have been foreborne by the authority.

The regulation comes into force after 30 days from the date of notification in the Gazette.

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