Indian Telecom Providers Needs To Publish All Phone and Data Plans In Newspapers

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has now decided to step in and help out the prepaid and postpaid telecom/mobile subscribers in terms of transparency in the tariff plans offered by the telecom access service providers. After getting frequent complaints from the consumers about the “alleged lack of transparency and resultant confusion for subscribers due to the multiplicity of tariff plans”, TRAI has ordered telecom operators that the rates should be published in a format specified by TRAI for easy comparison, at least once in a time interval of not more than six months in at least one regional language and one English newspaper. 

This Direction from the India’s telecom watchdog TRAI is likely to bring the following advancements/changes in the telecom operations across the country :

• Formats for prepaid and post-paid plans will have to be different and distinguishable from each other. These formats shall contain all the tariff plans offered by the Telecom access service provider in a service area covering all tariff items along with tariff for the same in tabular formats at one place for facilitating easy comparison across tariff plans.
• telcos will have to display the latest tariff details on their websites at all times. This will also have to be updated at point-of-sale locations, and Customer Care Centres at least on a quarterly basis.
• service providers shall make available the updated tariff plans in these formats by the 7th day of January, April, July and October at their points of sale and retail outlets.
• decided to streamline and standardise the vouchers offered by providers. A colour code will have to be followed by all subscribers to distinguish between different types of vouchers. Details about plans, MRPs, and net monetary value will also have to be clearly mentioned on each voucher in font size not less than eight points.
• Operators will also have to ensure that they do not adopt unfair practices, such as activating value-added services, without the subscriber’s consent. The companies are required to inform customers about service charges, the validity period, and unsubscription procedure, even before activating their numbers.

This stand taken by TRAI on behalf of all mobile subscribers is a very welcome change, considering the apathy we have experienced in the past. We shall continue to keep you updated with any such advancement in the telecom sector that could provide any sort of respite/benefits to the subscribers.

 

Tagged as: trai