TRAI puts ceiling on SMS, calls rates for TV and radio shows

[Chief]

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ordered telecom service providers to put a ceiling on the premium rate services such as SMS and calls made to participate in TV or radio programmes. The sector regulator said that the charges for such SMS or calls should not be more than four times of the applicable local charges. Consumer organisations have welcomed the move but feel that the rates should be reduced more.

Premium services are those which offer some form of content. It includes helpline services, voting, ring tones, gaming, participating in TV and radio shows, especially reality shows.

The telecom regulator also observed that service providers generally charge Rs2-Rs5 per minute for each call made and each SMS sent to participate in the contest, voting, survey and competitions. It held that while it is the subscriber’s choice to make or not to make such calls/SMS, an unreasonably high price results in undue gain to the service providers at the cost of the customer.

http://moneylife.in/article/trai-puts-ceiling-on-sms-calls-rates-for-tv-and-radio-shows/25220.html