Tata DOCOMO launches per second roaming

Mobile player Tata DOCOMO today launched per second billing for roaming across the country to take on rival Airtel, which announced a major cut in roaming charges last week.

The company introduced 1 paisa per second for all incoming and outgoing local and STD calls, to any network, to mobile or landline phones, it said in a statement. At the moment, operators follow per minute roaming rates and charges vary depending on location and network.

The move would intensify the tariff war among the mobile companies on this new turf.

Tata DOCOMO had earlier offered the one paisa per second scheme for local and STD calls which was later followed by other operators to grab customers.

"We are delighted to announce yet another industry defying offer to our subscribers-- a transparent and pack-free roaming tariff plan of 1 paisa per second for all incoming and outgoing call, both local and long distance, to all network and types of phones (mobile or landline)," Tata DOCOMO President Deepak Gulati said.

The company is gearing up to roll out pan-India GSM services this year, the new roaming scheme would be available across the country, Tata DOCOMO said.

"When a subscriber is roaming most telecom operators in India charge a minimum of 50-60 paise per minute, even then the call duration is less than a minute. Under the Tata DOCOMO roaming offer, subscribers will be charged only for what he or she uses-- at 1 paise per second," Gulati added.