Free Roaming expected from March 2013

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After announcing plans to abolish roaming charges for mobile users when traveling within India from next year, the telecom department is likely to ask operators to implement this consumer-friendly move from March.

Mobile phone companies have opposed the government's plans to do away with roaming charges, which accounts for about 10% of their revenues, and have warned they would be forced to increase tariffs to offset this loss.

According to an internal DoT note (dated November 23) reviewed by ET, the department has listed this consumer-friendly move amongst 'key initiatives to be completed within the next three months'.

By March, the department also wants to expand the mobile number portability (MNP) provision and allow consumers to retain their numbers when they move to a new city or any location in the country without having to pay roaming charges. At present, MNP, the facility that allows customers to retain their number while switching operators, is restricted to a circle. For instance, a Delhi customer can switch to any operator within the metro, as this is considered to be the 'base circle' for that number.


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Telecom companies to hike tariffs as roaming gets free early next year

Telecom companies are considering to hike tariffs significantly as the government is keen to make roaming free for mobile phone users across the country by early next year.

According to industry estimates, free roaming will impact nearly five to eight per cent subscribers but could reduce revenue margins of telecom companies by as much as eight to 10 per cent.

Companies could raise tariffs by, at least, 20 per cent as apart from the projected loss on roaming charges, they would also like to cover up the cost of huge spectrum payouts, high capital outgo and a dwindling subscriber base. Tariffs were increased by 25 per cent in two installments this year.

Read more at: A bigger hole in the pocket: Telecom companies to hike tariffs as roaming gets free early next year : Market, News - India Today

 

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Roaming will be free from 2013: Kapil Sibal


Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has said that mobile phone users will not have to pay any charges on roaming from next year.

"Roaming will be free in 2013. We have to get Cabinet approval and then it comes back to us. And then it will be floated," he said today at a press conference.

The government had earlier this year announced "one nation, free roaming" as part of its National Telecom Policy 2012.

The policy, approved in May, aims to abolish roaming charges and allow mobile phone subscribers to use same number across country without having to pay extra charges for services once they are outside their telecom circle.


Roaming will be free from 2013: Kapil Sibal | NDTV.com