TRAI extends deadline for comments on roaming tariffs

TRAI had floated a paper with a view to lowering the rates of mobile calls and SMSes roaming facility. It had asked industry players to provide inputs on 'Review of Tariff for National Roaming' by March 18.

"Keeping in view the request of stakeholders for extension of time for sending their comments, it has been decided to extend the last date for submission of written comments up to April 5, 2013 and for counter-comments up to April 12, 2013," TRAI said in a statement.

Among various options to reduce or remove additional cost burden on roaming customers, TRAI had proposed a new norm Home Price Rule wherein a mobile subscriber should be charged the same amount that he pays when he is not roaming.

As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, mobile phone customers on roaming are generally charged Re 1 for outgoing local call, Rs. 1.5 for outgoing STD call and Re 1 for incoming call on per minute basis. For each outgoing SMS, customers are generally charged Rs. 1.5.

On the other hand, when customer is not roaming an outgoing local call costs him/her around 72 paise, outgoing STD call 90 paise, each local SMS Re 1 and STD SMS in range of Rs. 1.5 to Rs. 3.45, according to TRAI.

TRAI had said that the aspiration for "removal of roaming charges is an aspect of the overall policy thrust towards removal of geographic barriers in licensing and telecom operations to promote free mobility for usage of communications facilities in the country".