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Thomas K. Thomas

BSNL officials said that CAC may have lost relevance.

New Delhi , March 3

THE Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) may resurrect the issue of allowing consumers the freedom to choose long-distance operators through the carrier access codes (CAC).

The issue has been on the backburner for the last two years after the discussion between private operators and BSNL over bearing the cost of upgrading their network to accommodate the two-digit access codes ended in a deadlock.

"We have not dumped CAC. We will take up the issue and review it once we have taken care of more pressing matters. We will have to do a cost and benefit analysis before taking a decision," said a senior TRAI official.

Telecom CAC was introduced with the objective of allowing telephone users to choose their domestic long-distance operator.

Bharti and BSNL were allotted `55' and `50' as CAC.

If a subscriber opted to route the call through Bharti's NLD service, he would have to dial `55' before dialling the STD code followed by the destination number.

Currently, the access providers - mobile operators and fixed-line service providers - choose the NLD carrier.

However, BSNL officials said that CAC may have lost relevance because competition is achieving the objectives of the system.

"The primary objective of the carrier access codes was to offer consumers choice between tariffs and quality of service. But the STD market is so competitive that no one can afford to compromise on quality or on tariffs. So there is no point in operators being made to bear the cost of implementing the system," they said.

BSNL said that since private long-distance operators will gain the most, the cost of implementing the system, some Rs 1,000-1,500 crore, must be borne by them.

Private operators, on the other hand, are in favour of implementing the system since it will give them access to BSNL's 42 million fixed-line telephone users.

But consumer groups have given representations to TRAI seeking quick implementation of the CAC irrespective of the level of competition.

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