The Telecom and Regulatory Authority of India has directed the cellular mobile service providers not to impose fixed charges like roaming rental on their subscribers unless the facility is activated with their prior consent.

Acting on representations from the pre-paid subscribers, Trai directed the mobile service providers to inform the subscriber through SMS whenever they roam into another licence area that they will be charged for the roaming facility only when they chose to make or receive a call.

The regulator said any fixed sum for roaming like a rental should not be charged unless a call is either made or received by a customer while roaming.

It also said that the SMS to inform the customer of the roaming facility activation must not be charged.

The Trai-directions to the service providers came after the prepaid subscribers complained that they are being charged for auto-roaming services even though they do not want to avail the services.

The subscribers also said that they were not sure of the SMS charges while roaming.

The TRAI said most of the service providers do not charge for receiving SMS while roaming and the companies must inform their subscribers about this fact.

It said in case some operators were charging for receiving SMS while roaming they should inform the customers through SMS that they will be charged for roaming facility only when they chose to send or receive SMS while roaming.