Light At The End Of The Tunnel

This helps in solving matters. For instance, the Chandrapur DoT subscriber would dial a 98221-number to speak with a local cellphone user. If the cellphone user moves to Kolhapur, the MSC would automatically impose roaming charges on the cellphone subscriber. Roaming enables callers to reach a cellular number anywhere within the country or, even across countries if international roaming is permitted. It generally works on 80:20 revenue sharing principle between operators. A similar arrangement could be worked out between the cellular operator and DoT. If a call originates from a DoT subscriber and travels long-distance (say, from Chandrapur to Kolhapur), the department could be paid some percentage of the long-distance charges, a cellular spokesperson says.

 

Again, the problem here is how does DoT know which calls are roaming ones and which are local ones. We will need to depend on the HLR information of the cellular operator, says the DoT official. This is not feasible since operators could always route calls over long-distance routes and not disclose this information. But, even here, information technology can be used to get over the problem by having a mirror computer at a DoT location which constantly updates the information in the cellular operators HLR. This will allow the department to cross-check information given by the operator.

Further, the DoT official avers, putting in place a numbering plan for each district in each circle with two operators could be a mind-boggling task. Perhaps, but then telecom deregulation in any country has never been the easiest of tasks. As a cellular company executive puts it, Given an alternative to the present killer tariffs, operators might be willing to accept a roaming solution within the circle. We may need to lower our projected revenues by some 10-15 per cent, but that is better than the 50 per cent beating we will take under the present tariffs.