The Airtel 2-in-1 plan violates the NNP 2003 as the subscribers are made to dial '#' (hash) while making a call. Use of any such keys is against the NNP and is treated as a violation of the license conditions, says the DoT notice.
The Airtel 2-in-1 service offers the service of prepaid account on postpaid connections on the same SIM card. A customer having this service would have the option of choosing to use the pre-paid or the post-paid payment mechanism as desired.
When contacted, Narendra Gupta, chief regulatory officer, Bharti Group told PTI that "the Airtel 2-in-1 service does not violate the NNP, as the NNP does not encompass the mode/procedure by which a subscriber can access the service provider's physical network per se.
"The NNP has standardised the procedure for calling between two subscribers. Dialing '#1' and number essentially enables a subscriber terminal to communicate with the network.
"Hence, '#1' is only an identification mechanism between the subscriber and the company network. Bharti as an integrated player having a pan India presence, has been complying with various license conditions, from time to time," Gupta said.
Airtel 2-in-1 is a product in which our postpaid subscribers are able to use a separate prepaid account on the same mobile number.
To avail this service, the subscriber has to dial the hash (#) key, then '1' and then the number so that the billing is separated through the intelligent network platform, while calls from the prepaid account are not reflected in the postpaid invoice, Gupta said.
The plan has been created for the convenience of the subscriber wherein the subscriber can avail of prepaid services on a post paid connection without paying an additional security cost and on the same mobile number.
"In keeping with company policies, Bharti has not contravened any license conditions or the National Numbering Plan," Gupta said.
This service gives added flexibility to the subscribers availing this service to enjoy STD/ISD services through the prepaid account without any security deposits otherwise taken from postpaid subscribers, the company said.
The subscriber sees a tremendous value proposition through this service since he is given full talktime on the recharge voucher without deducting any processing fee.
According to DoT officials, most of the operators have these type of tariff plans and it would be seeking explanation from them too as and when details about particular operators come.
