Recently, TRAI released a consultation paper, in which they reviewed the 2012 Telecom Consumer Protection Regulation.
Consultation Paper Highlighting The Concerns About Bundled Tariffs
In a Consultation Paper, input from stakeholders is released on “Review of Telecom Consumer Protection Regulation (TCPR), 2012” for consultation with the stakeholders.
This consultation paper has highlighted the concerns about bundled tariffs further proposing separate voice and SMS packs.
Moving ahead, this consultation paper aims to seek views on bringing back the voice and SMS- only packs.
Bundled Tariffs Constraining Subscribers
Further adding that the current offerings may be forcing many phone subscribers to pay for services they don’t use.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said, “…it is noticed that tariff offers available in market are broadly bundled tariff offerings having mix of voice, data, SMS and OTT services, etc., which may not fulfill the requirements of a large number of subscribers as all services may not be required by all subscribers and there is a perception that subscribers are being made to pay for services that are not required by them,” in the consultation paper.
“Besides, there is a perception among consumers that the bundled offerings of telecom services act as a constraint on the choice of subscription of telecom tariff offers by the subscribers,” as per the consultation paper.
In addition to this, TRAI is also considering the request of the telecom industry to propose the issue of “color coding of vouchers” and “denomination vouchers”.
It appears that the telecom service providers used different color coding for paper plans such as green for top-up, blue for combo, more previously.
TRAI has asked whether color coding could be relevant in digital mediums as well in its consultation paper.
According to TRAI, the written comments on the consultation Paper are invited from the stakeholders by 16th August 2024.
So, the counter comments that come, if any, may be submitted by 23rd August 2024.
