Trai cuts charges, roaming to be cheaper

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today slashed mobile roaming tariffs by up to 56%, and also scrapped rental for roaming services - decisions that would deflate bills of frequent travelling customers.

The Trai tariff order, which would be effective February 15, would reduce roaming tariffs between 22-56% compared with the current market rates, Trai chairman Nripendra Misra said.

Minister for IT and Communications Dayanidhi Maran said the reduction in roaming charges was essential, and the companies should pass on the benefits to end consumers.

A mobile user, travelling outside the home network, will now have to pay only Rs 2.40 per minute for making long distance calls as against the existing rates of Rs 3.09-3.99 per minute.

The charges for receiving incoming calls while roaming would go down to Rs 1.75 per minute and that for making local calls within the visiting network to Rs 1.40 per minute.

At present, service providers charge a maximum of Rs 3.99 per minute for receiving incoming calls while roaming and Rs 3.09 per minute for outgoing local calls.

The rental for using roaming services has been done away with, and incoming SMS would be free while roaming.

The surcharge of 15% on air-time while roaming and a separate PSTN charge have also been withdrawn.

The new tariff would be applicable to all prepaid and postpaid GSM and CDMA mobile customers.

"Trai would closely monitor market developments on roaming, and, if perceptible competition evolves in the market, it would revisit the issue and even consider forbearing roaming tariffs," Misra said.

He said the competition in the market was not forthcoming so the regulator had to intervene as we were "sensitive to cost".

Charges for outgoing SMS while roaming continues to be under forbearance, he added.