TRAI slashes termination charges for international long distance operators

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday slashed termination charges payable by international long distance operators (ILDO), which carry calls from outside the country, to the access provider in the country, in whose network the call terminates.

As per the Telecommunication Interconnection Usage Charges (Fourteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2018, the telecom regulator notified that the termination charges have been reduced from 53 paise to 30 paise per minute.

At an earlier open house discussion, the issue of domestic and international termination charge was discussed by stakeholders, wherein a need for addressing international charges at a more proactive level cropped up.

Thereafter, a one-day workshop was held following which application service providers (ASP) and ILDOs were asked to furnish information regarding incoming and outgoing ILD voice minutes.

On the basis of the requests put forth by stakeholders in the open forum, the authority prescribed revised rates of termination charges.