The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday (January 27) issued a significant directive to telecom operators, paying heed to growing demands of customer.
TRAI issued “Telecom Tariff (66th Amendment) Order, 2022 (1 of 2022)”, wherein it has mandated Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to also offer 30-day validity recharge packs apart from the 28-day offers that have now become a norm.
As per the new guideline, every TSP will have to offer “at least one Plan Voucher, one Special Tariff Voucher and one Combo Voucher having a validity of thirty days.” Furthermore, every TSP will have to “offer at least one Plan Voucher, one Special Tariff Voucher and one Combo Voucher which shall be renewable on the same date of every month,” the TRAI notice said.
The authority noted that it has “received references from consumers expressing concerns regarding the tariff offers of 28 days’ validity (or in multiples thereof)” by TSPs, rather than “Tariff offerings having validity for 30 days or a month.” TRAI noted that while TSPs have been “transparent in disclosing the validity period of the said tariff offers as 28 days etc. and have not attempted to market the same as monthly tariffs. At the same time, the Authority is conscious of the need to address consumer concerns and perceptions in this regard.”
It informed that a Consultation Paper on “Validity period of Tariff Offers” was issued on May 13, 2021, where TRAI sought comments and counter comments from stakeholders, the details of which are available on the TRAI website. An Open House Discussion (OHD) had been conducted through video-conferencing “on the issues raised in the Consultation Paper.”
Source: dnaindia.com