Far from benefitting consumers, the new rules on roaming charges have opened another front in the battle between large and small operators.
A call drop is a voice call, which after being successfully established, is interrupted.
Trai has suggested abolition of ADC on private operators. This move will make telecom services more affordable.
Indicted in the draft JPC report, former Telecom Minister A Raja on Monday hit back maintaining that "every major decision", including entry fee and non auction of spectrum, was taken after consulting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee.
Customers of Vodafone, Idea Cellular, Tata Teleservices and BSNL in some circles have reported maximum discrepancies in their phone bills, according to a latest report by telecom regulator TRAI.
From spending a little less than three hours on making voice calls, Indians are spending well over 5 hours. So, while people make more calls, they are spending less than ever, reports Romita Majumdar.
The statement came a day after Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Ltd announced a hike in call and data charges from next month.
Starting December 1, the country's 3.2 million Direct-to-Home subscribers will be able to ask for refunds on DTH equipment (the set-top box and antenna) if they choose to discontinue the service.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has set the ball rolling for the second phase of telecom reforms with the issue of a consultation paper seeking the industry's views on review of key license conditions and capping the number of access providers.
For the PMO this is urgent as the Digital India framework would depend on how the telecom companies perform. It is also linked to the proposed auction of 5G airwaves.
It would be perfectly possible for a rogue customer to disconnect a call and then claim compensation.
Trai's decision to reduce the rates of ADC after due consultation would pave the path for lower telecom tariffs, sustained growth, while reduction in rate of ADC on international calls would reduce arbitrage.
Modi has appointed P K Sinha, who superannuated as cabinet secretary on Friday, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), he said.
Broadcast regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has struck down Nimbus' appeal to price its two sports channels at a premium to market rates, including in conditional access system areas.
At present, consumers are offered a number of innovative services through Intelligent Network deployed by telecom service providers in their network.
The investment limit for news and current affairs TV channels has been retained at 26 per cent.
The new "combo vouchers" will enable customers to add value in their mobile phone account as well as avail services at discounted rates.
India is ranked below Bhutan and Sri Lanka in terms of broadband penetration, says TRAI.
Analysts at rating agency ICRA say the debt level of the telecom companies is very high and the ecosystem for the premium band is not in place.
Availability of Wi-Fi is also expected to provide local airlines an additional source of revenues amid stiff competition in the fast growing Indian aviation market.
Telecom subscribers had it good during Rahul Khullar's watch as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Monday proposed a Rs 8,000 crore (Rs 80 billion) subsidy for creating necessary infrastructure in rural areas to take the tele-density there from the current below two per cent to 15 per cent by 2007.
The department of telecommunication has decided that the existing variable licence fee structure for telecom operators should be replaced with a uniform one. An departmental note suggests a uniform licence fee of 8.5 per cent for all types of services.
In what could give a big relief to new mobile players, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is unlikely to cancel 53 licences - as recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) - for non-fulfilment of rollout obligations.
It is learnt that the defence ministry is refusing to let go of its 100 MHz spectrum, which was allotted earlier. In that case, the department of telecommunications (DoT) will be left with only 175 MW of 5G spectrum of the total 300 MHz.
Govt says there is enough spectrum, telcos differ
As per the service licence, three types of charges, including Per Port Transaction charge, which means the charge payable by the Recipient Operator (the operator, where the subscriber is willing to port his number) to the MNP service provider for processing the request, are applicable in case of MNP. The second charge is porting charge -- the charge payable by the subscriber for porting his number -- and the third is dipping charge.
Cellular operators' body COAI had, last year, alleged that the new entrant Reliance Jio was attempting to acquire customers by offering connection loaded with freebies, in the guise of a trial launch.
Jio says it has completed mobile number portability testing and is certified MNP-compliant
Reliance Industries vice chairman Anil Ambani on Thursday met Pradeep Baijal, chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
The auction will help operators augment expansion of high-speed 4G voice and data services in the world's second largest mobile phone market.
The notices were issued on a petition filed by ESPN challenging a Kerala High Court judgement directing it to share its live feeds for the India-Bangladesh series with Doordarshan.
Envisaging to further expand the scope of radio, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday invited suggestions on issues relating to satellite radio service to chalk out a policy framework for the new technology which, among other things, ca
"I understand that DoT (Department of Telecom) should be able to take a decision in about 15-days. We (TRAI) should be able to announce a date soon...I don't think it will take long," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J S Sarma told reporters.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said on Thursday that the current access deficit charge of 11 per cent must be brought down to lower the tariffs and enable the sector achieve higher mobile growth like China.
Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Tuesday showered words of praise on Pradip Baijal, chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India saying he has done a great job, especially in reducing telecom tariffs.
