Information Madness

Here is a good news for all the pre-paid mobile subscribers. TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has directed the operators to stop charging processing fee which used to be about 30-40 percent of the recharge value of the coupon.

So currently if you recharge for Rs. 300, you would pay between Rs. 100 - Rs. 130 in processing fees. This caused the pre-paid subscribers to get less talktime per recharge. This will change from Sept. 15th as TRAI's regulation comes into effect. Subscribers will be able to talk for almost 50 per cent more time compared to the talk time they get now with the same Rs 300 voucher.

This move will result in huge savings for consumers as they will be able to talk more using a single recharge coupon. For example, Bharti Airtel has a pre-paid voucher for Rs 345, out of which consumers currently get talk time worth only Rs 177 (about 90 minutes). The balance money goes as service tax and processing fee.

Once the new regulation comes into effect Airtel mobile users buying this voucher will get talk time worth Rs 305 (about 150 minutes) after paying Rs 38 as service tax.

TRAI has also mandated that consumers of a mobile company should get benefit of any tariff reduction announced by the operator without having to ask for it. This proposal assumes significance in the light of the recent announcements by Vodafone and Idea of making available reduced domestic long distance charges to only those subscribers who requested for it through an SMS. So no more "please give the low rate benifit as well..".. you will get the rate reduction automatically if they have reduced the plan.

If you are using lifetime validity plans and want to migrate to new lifetime plans, you will not have to pay any additional payment. TRAI also said that lifetime subscribers need not recharge more than once in 6 months. 

So now pre-paid subscribers will get more talktime for their money. (via:TheHindu)