New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has asked the mobile operators to disclose risk factors like change in tariff plans and remaining license period duration, in their announcement while offering lifetime connectivity plans.
The operators were asked to disclose key issues and also tell the users about any hidden cost in the announcement, so that the consumers are informed before choosing the tariff plan.
"We have told the operators that tariff announcement must be transparent. The in-between, unspoken lines should be notified as is done in case of the prospectus filed by companies when they go for public issues," said TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra.
"The 'lifetime' of the licensee should be specified to the user besides mentioning the fact that tariffs are subject to a change which may arise with a change in the Interconnet Usage Regime," he added.
Misra said that the operators have been asked to clarify the entire Lifetime Plan before the consumers.
While announcing lifetime plans, a few months ago, mobile operators went gung ho about claiming superiority of their plans over others.
Many of which, offered free incoming for lifetime with recharging every six months.
Before that, incoming was free, but not for lifetime.
The notion lifetime, in the absence of proper clarity, was first understood as the lifetime of a consumer. When TRAI probed it was found out that the lifetime referred to the operator's license period.
It was the same case with tariffs, which the operators claimed to be same throughout the lifetime plan.
But on enquiry, TRAI found out that operators are referring to a change in tariff plans in case of a change in the Interconnect Usage Regime (IUC) regime to save it from being unsustainable.
"No tariff plans shall be offered, presented or marketed or advertised in a manner that is likely to mislead subscribers," TRAI said in one of its latest circulars to the companies.
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