Telecommunication Tariff (70th Amendment) Order, 2024

TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY, PART-III, SECTION 4 TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, 23rd December 2024

No. RG-13/1/(1)/2023-ADV_FEA-I — In exercise of the powers conferred upon it under sub-section (2) of section 11, read with sub-clause (i) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of the said section, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India hereby makes the following Order further to amend the Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999, namely: -

THE TELECOMMUNICATION TARIFF (SEVENTIETH AMENDMENT) ORDER, 2024 (2 of 2024)

1. Short title, extent and commencement: (1) This Order may be called the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024. (2) This Order shall come into force after thirty days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In clause 2 of the Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999 — (i) in sub-clause (da), for the words “ninety days”, the words “three hundred and sixty-five days” shall be substituted; (ii) in sub-clause (ma), for the words “ninety days”, the words “three hundred and sixty-five days” shall be substituted.

(Vijay Kumar) Advisor (F&EA)

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Note.1.—The Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999 was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 under notification No. 99/3 dated 09th March, 1999, and subsequently amended as given below:-

Note 2.— The Explanatory Memorandum explains the objects and reasons for the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024.

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

A) Introduction and Background:

1. The Authority had conducted a Consumer Survey between September 2022 to November 2022, in respect of Tariffs of Telecommunication Services and related issues with the objective to understand:

   • the consumer views on evolution of tariffs per se;
   • the efficacy of consumer protection regulations included in the Tariff Order;
   • the efficacy of transparency framework in publishing of tariff offers in advertisement given by the Telecom Service Provider (TSP).

2. Based on feedback from consumers, TSPs, associations, and other stakeholders, TRAI released a consultation paper on July 26, 2024, to review the Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations (TCPR), 2012. The said paper specifically addresses the validity of vouchers, exploring the need to review the current ninety (90) day cap on Special Tariff Vouchers (STV) and Combo Vouchers (CV) and to assess if specific consumer segments might benefit from extended validity for STVs and CVs.

B) Response from the stakeholders:

1. A total of 41 comments and 5 counter-comments were received in response to the consultation paper, representing associations, TSPs, individuals, and consumer groups. These comments are publicly accessible on the TRAI website. An online Open House Discussion (OHD) was held on October 21, 2024, with participation from various stakeholders. Additional feedbacks were also received after the OHD.

2. On the issue of extending the validity of STV and CV, most stakeholders favoured extending the cap beyond the current ninety (90) days. TSPs argued that the ninety (90) day cap is outdated given the evolving telecom landscape, and many agreed that longer validity would save consumers from frequent recharges.

After considering views of stakeholders and the existing provisions that allows data-only packs, the Authority has decided to extend the validity cap for STV and CV from ninety (90) days to three hundred and sixty-five (365) days. The longer duration recharges of up to three hundred and sixty-five (365) days will obviate the need of frequent recharges. However, service providers may offer shorter validity packs, if desired.