TRAI asks service providers to restructure roaming tariffs

TRAI on May 14, 2004 intervened roaming tari-ffs of Mobile Service Operators
(MSOs) whose tariffs exceed the ceiling tariffs prescribed in Telecommunication
Tariff Order (18th Amendment) and Inter-connection Usage Charges (IUC) charges
prescribed under the IUC regulation, 2003.

The Authority has reviewed the roaming tariffs filed by various mobile
operators with reference to the provisions of the Telecommunication tariff (18th
Amendment) Order, 1999 and The Telecommunication IUC Regulation, 2003. The 18th
Amendment to TTO, inter-alia, prescribes ceiling tariffs for roaming viz;
airtime charge of Rs three per minute + PSTN charges as applicable + surcharge
@15 percent on airtime component.

The IUC regulation, 2003 prescribes the carriage, termina-tion and access
deficit charge per minute applicable for various calls. According to TRAI, the
total roaming charges per minute shall not exceed the currently applicable
ceiling of Rs 3.45 (ie Rs three + 15 per-cent surcharge) as provided in the 18th
Amendment to TTO plus the IUC charges ie carriage + termination + ADC for
vari-ous distance slabs as provided in the IUC regulation.

The Authority observed that the roaming tariff implemen-ted by some operators
for various distance slabs exceeds the above-prescribed limits and found the
same inconsistent with the provisions of TTO / IUC Regulation.

In view of the above, the Authority informed all MSOs that the roaming
tariffs that are above the prescribed ceilings as explained above should have to
be reduced. The Authority asked the service providers to imme-diately
restructure their roam-ing tariffs and furnish their compliance report along
with the revised roaming tariffs to the Authority latest by May 20, 2004.

CyberMedia News

New Delhi