Jio Wins A Big Round, Free Voice Calls For Life Offer Is Cleared
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has held that Reliance Jio’s offer of free voice and data services is compliant with existing rules and not discriminatory.
“…it is found that the tariff plans filed with TRAI cannot be considered as IUC (interconnection usage charges) non-complaint, predatory and discriminatory, at present,” the telecom regulator said in a letter to telecom operators.
Incumbent operators – Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and others – had approached the telecom regulator against the free call service being offered by Reliance Jio, calling its tariff plan predatory, discriminatory and non-compliant to present rules. The incumbent operators had also asked the regulator to find “a way to curb the massive asymmetric traffic to ensure that receiving networks are not abused by tsunami of free traffic.”
Telecom operators are required to pay 14 paise per minute for each outgoing call from their network to the operator on whose network the call finally lands. This is known as interconnection usage charges.
Reliance Jio Infocomm, controlled by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, stormed into the telecom sector last month by offering unlimited free calls to subscribers for lifetime. Besides this, Jio is offering unlimited free 4G mobile broadband till December 31.
Reliance Jio in a statement said, “This (TRAI’s letter) clearly establishes the fact that all the tariffs offered by RJIL (Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited) are in compliance with the prevailing regulations. A key feature of RJIL’s tariff packs is free voice calling for Local, STD and National roaming for all times.”
Rival telecom operators had also contested free data service offered by Jio beyond 90 days but it has also been set aside by the regulator.
“The revised offer of free services by Reliance Jio has been limited to 90 days i.e. December 3, 2016 and therefore is consistent with the guidelines on promotional offers,” TRAI said in an order.
Reliance Industries’ has said that its welcome offer of free voice calls and data will be available till December 31 but only for those users who subscribe to its services by December 3.
Reliance Jio has said that the consumers, who cannot subscribe to the services till December 3, 2016, will continue to get the opportunity for availing new offers and tariff plans.
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Source:Ndtv
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