From May 1, mobile calls, SMS, and roaming charges will all be cheaper.
As a result of the TRAI’s reduction in ceiling prices, mobile calls made while roaming could be as much as 23% less expensive, and sending SMS could be as much as 75% cheaper, starting on May 1.
In contrast, subscribers won’t be able to use plans that permitted them to make calls and send SMSes while roaming at home circle rates as a result of this TRAI order.
“TRAI has lowered the maximum rates for national roaming calls and SMS, and it has ordered telecommunications companies to provide a unique roaming tariff plan. These modifications will take effect on May 1, 2015, according to a statement released today by TRAI.
The highest or ceiling rate that a telecom operator may charge for STD calls when roaming has been reduced from Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.15 by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Similar to this, the national SMS tariff was lowered from Rs 1.5 per SMS to 38 paise.
Additionally, instead of the current Re 1 per SMS, an operator may charge a maximum of 25 paise. Instead of the current permissible rate of Re 1, a telecom provider may charge a maximum of 80 paise per minute for a local call.
Instead of the current 75 paisa per minute charge for incoming calls when roaming, a mobile client will only be responsible for paying a maximum of 45 paisa.
The removal of the RTP and RTP-FR roaming tariff plans, which allowed customers to pay the same rates as those in their home service area or circle, is a blow to consumers.
The prices for outgoing voice calls and outgoing SMS, both local and long distance (inter-circle), were not affected by the subscriber’s position inside the nation under the “Roaming Tariff Plan (RTP)” provision.
The ‘RTP-FR’ plan permitted the subscriber to pay the same rates as his home service region for outbound local and STD calls as well as SMS while roaming. Incoming calls were also free when roaming rather than incurring fixed fees under RTP-FR.
The regulator has ordered operators to roll out a new “Special Roaming Tariff Plan” that will eliminate other services and only allow free inbound calls in exchange for a set fee.