Hutch, Idea calls to PSU telcos get cheaper

Celluar operators Idea Cellular and Hutch have stopped charging higher rates for calls made to the mobile users of BSNL and MTNL, as compared with the rates for calls made to private GSM operators.

This is in response to a directive of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

This means that Idea's tariffs of 99 paise per minute and Hutch's 75 paise per minute for STD calls will now be applicable for calls made to all GSM phones in the country.

The regulator had intervened in the two private operators' tariff schemes because they made subscribers pay higher rates for calling phones of the two PSU operators' networks, Trai said.

The two operators had classified subscribers who made calls on private GSM networks as a separate category, which, Trai said, was " inconsistent with the the provisions of Telecommunication Tariff Orders".