The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has directed all telecom operators to submit information of the segmented tariffs presented by them to their prospects, inside 15 days. The regulator has sought information from January 2020 to November 2020, whilst directing the firms that December 2020 onwards, information of such gives must be submitted inside 10 operating days from the final day of the month.
The path follows the November 6 verdict of the Supreme Court which mentioned the regulator was properly inside its powers to ask for any information and facts from telecom operators about their segmented gives (discounts which are not aspect of typical tariff package). The order, even so, mentioned the information and facts can’t be published or disclosed to competitors. This restraint does not apply to regular tariff packages, which are in the public domain.
In the directions dated December 4, a copy of which has been noticed by FE, the regulator has asked telecom operators “to provide, within fifteen days of the date of issue of this direction, on a monthly basis, for each LSA (licensed service area), the following details of segmented offer, for the period from January 2020 till November 2020…”
The regulator has sought information of prices and connected terms and circumstances, quantum of solutions, name of tariff program, validity period of subscription, and positive aspects readily available to the subscribers in the tariff program in which the segmented present has been provided. It has also asked for the “number of segmented offers to the existing subscribers under the respective tariff plan at the end of the month” and “the number of subscribers, at the end of each month, who have availed the segmented offer within each tariff plan”.
It has sought information of the declaration that the positive aspects of such segmented gives have been created readily available to all prospects falling in the class, and the principle of non-discrimination has been strictly followed.
In December 2018, whilst setting aside Trai’s regulation prohibiting Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea from offering segmented gives, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) had mentioned that such gives have normally been in force and could not be clubbed with standard tariff schemes, which require to be reported to the regulator. The TDSAT had mentioned that segmented gives are not discriminatory as created out by Trai as they are presented to a class or segment of subscribers, more than and above a tariff scheme. However, it had permitted Trai to ask operators to submit to it any segmented gives if it wanted to examine no matter whether they had been discriminatory or not, but the information had to be kept confidential.
The Trai had moved the Supreme Court against the TDSAT order, but the apex court had refused to keep the ruling. The regulator had then modified its order to seek information and facts on segmented gives from the telcos for a restricted period. The Trai’s plea was opposed by Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea on the ground that it would violate industrial confidentiality and enable rivals poach their subscribers.