NEW DELHI: Cellular operators body COAI on Monday termed TRAI’s consultation paper on call connect charges as “unfair on incumbent operators”, and questioned the regulator’s urgency in initiating the process of interconnect review, which the association claimed “favours new entrants”.
“We are unable to understand what is the hurry. Usually, there is a 2-3 years time frame (for the review) but it has only been one year,” said COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India) director general Rajan Mathews.
On Friday, TRAI started the review of interconnection charges -- paid by one telecom operator to another for connecting phone calls -- against the backdrop of 4G and Internet telephony changing ways consumers communicate
At present, the termination charges for a mobile to mobile local and national long distance call is pegged at 14 paise per minute while the termination charges for international incoming call to wireless and wireline stands at 53 paise per minute.
TRAI has sought public view on how domestic termination charges should be computed -- cost based or Bill and Keep (BAK) -- for maximisation of consumer welfare and growth of the telecom sector in the country.
“It is unfair and is a misguided effort from TRAI that will help new entrants, at the cost of the incumbent... We are extremely disturbed by this, this further tilts the level playing field,” Mathews alleged.
Cellular operators body COAI on Monday termed TRAI’s consultation paper on call connect charges as “unfair on incumbent operators”, and questioned the regulator’s urgency in initiating the process of interconnect review, which the association claimed “favours new entrants”.
“We are unable to understand what is the hurry. Usually, there is a 2-3 years time frame (for the review) but it has only been one year,” said COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India) director general Rajan Mathews.
On Friday, TRAI started the review of interconnection charges -- paid by one telecom operator to another for connecting phone calls -- against the backdrop of 4G and Internet telephony changing ways consumers communicate
At present, the termination charges for a mobile to mobile local and national long distance call is pegged at 14 paise per minute while the termination charges for international incoming call to wireless and wireline stands at 53 paise per minute.
TRAI has sought public view on how domestic termination charges should be computed -- cost based or Bill and Keep (BAK) -- for maximisation of consumer welfare and growth of the telecom sector in the country.
“It is unfair and is a misguided effort from TRAI that will help new entrants, at the cost of the incumbent... We are extremely disturbed by this, this further tilts the level playing field,” Mathews alleged.