Facing political criticism for raising basic telecom tariffs, telecom regulator Trai on Saturday announced a decision to review interconnect user charge (IUC) regime, while permitting operators to implement tariff packages after a ‘self-check’.In a statement, Trai stated “The review would require a period of about three months through consultations. In case of further data is needed to re-assess access deficit charge, this period could be higher. In the interim period, the present IUC regime will continue to prevail. The background paper for these consultations would be issued by May 15, 2003.”The review of IUC may have far reaching implications on the tariffs which have been implemented from May 1, including ‘calling-party-pays’ (CPP) principle in cellular telephony.“In view of the fact that the IUC regime would itself be the subject of review and large number of tariff packages that require examination, the authority has decided that it would allow for a longer period to the service providers to implement tariffs after conducting a self-check regarding the consistency of those tariffs with relevant regulatory principles,” it stated.Earlier, for the month of May, Trai had given the operators a self-assessment power for implementing their packages and had said that tariff packages after May 31 would require the prior approval of Trai.According to sources, with the implementation of new regime from May 1 the field was tilted against the basic telecom operators as cellular and WLL services had become cheaper as compared to basic services.Trai noted that a large number of tariffs for basic services have already been approved by the authority and hence the self-check flexibility is applicable to cellular, wll and std service providers. “In consultation, the authority would also look at the desirability of withdrawing forbearance that is presently given to the tariffs for cellular mobile and WLL mobility.”Trai will examine the number of tariff plans to be allowed for each service provider. At present, each is allowed to offer maximum up to 25 packages.Trai has asked service providers to give clear indication of actual amount paid by subscribers for calls made within the free call allowance and outside it. “Generally in a number of tariff packages with lumpsum payments in addition to call charges, the actual amount of call charge is more than amounts specified for customer’s information,” Trai said, adding it would prescribe a manner in which such tariffs should be announced so that there were no hidden costs.
