Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has asked the cellular and basic telephony operators to provide Internet facilities to their subscribers by February 13, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
"Trai has directed all cellular and basic operators that accessibility to Internet services be made available as per the national numbering plan 2003 within 45 days of issue of directive (December 29 2003) i.e. upto February 13, 2004," Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Ashok Pradhan said in a written reply to the Lower House of Parliament.
He said no additional charge other than the applicable dial up charges will be leviable for providing Internet facility.
In reply to another question, he said the government has decided to reduce license fee for basic/cellular/unified access service licensees by 2 per cent of adjusted gross revenue with effect from April 1, 2004.
Further, it has been decided to reduce the licence fee in respect of cellular mobile telephone service licensees who were granted licenses for circle service areas in 1994-96, further by 2 per cent of adjusted gross revenue for a period of 4 years from April 1, 2004.
The government has also reduced customs duty on telecom equipments to nil from 5 per cent while customs duty on cellular phones has been reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. "The reduction in customs duties is effective from January 9, 2004," he added.
