New Delhi : Regulator Trai will meet all telecom service providers on July 21 to seek their views on ‘minimum floor price’ for voice and data tariffs, as being demanded by some operators, an official has said.
The minimum floor price, for both data and voice calls, has been demanded by a section of incumbent telecom operators, but implementing it could mean an end to freebies in the market.
Also, the tariffs are currently under forbearance operators virtually have a free hand in fixing the rates and report plans to Trai in 7 days of launch and, hence, a floor price setting, if it happens, would imply a shift from that regime.
The regulator will ask the operators to explain their views on ‘minimum floor price’ for tariffs, and also the formulation or math for the fixing such a rate, the official said.
During the meeting, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will seek the rationale for the floor price demand, and has asked operators to also give detailed presentation to support their arguments. It is also expected to ask the telcos why an upper ceiling for tariffs is not similarly justified.