IUC as per Trai norms, says DoT

STD as local calls

After notifying that intra-state calls in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh will be treated as local, the Department of Telecommunications has clarified that the interconnect user charge (IUC) and the access deficit charge (ADC) for these calls will be according to the regulations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

"The calls will be treated as intra-service area calls and IUC and ADC shall be as per prevailing Trai regulation. The tariff and roaming charges will be as per applicable Trai's tariff order," the DoT today said in a letter to all cellular and basic service providers, and all national long-distance operators.

The DoT also added that access providers would be permitted to continue with the existing interconnect arrangement for routing calls in the respective service areas.

The clarification came in the wake of some operators and associations raising certain issues regarding the implementation of the May 20 notification, DoT officials said.

In its earlier notification last month, the DoT had said ADC would not be applicable to intra-circle calls, and had also remained silent on IUC.

"The DoT does not have the jurisdiction to specify ADC as these are under the ambit of Trai," an official said.

Besides, as per Trai regulations, ADC is applicable on intra-service area calls from cellular to fixed lines. The clarification was issued after operators had pointed out that its orders violated telecom norms," said an executive with a leading cellular operator.