Telecom companies need to submit plan details of segmented offers every month: TRAI

Telecom regulator Trai Wednesday directed operators to submit before it all tariff plans that they offer to select segments of customers at the end of every month. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had issued a similar order in October 2018 but the same was set aside by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

The new order for segmented tariff disclosures comes after the Supreme Court on January 21 held that "there will be no stay on the impugned judgment (of TDSAT) except to the extent of remand".

Following the SC order, Trai issued the new direction to telecom operators directing them to submit before it details of rates, terms and conditions of scheme, quantum of service that customers will get, name of the plan, validity period of subscription and benefits available to the subscriber under the plan in which segment offer has been given.

Trai directed telecom service providers to share with it number of subscribers at the end of each month who have availed the segmented offer. The regulator has asked telecom operators to submit declaration that the benefits of segment offers have been made available to all existing customers with the particular segment without any discrimination.

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"Therefore, for each month from April 2019...Details of segmented offer may be submitted to Trai within 10 working days from the last day of the month," the regulator said. In a separate direction, Trai withdrew its direction mandating telecom operators to publish tariff details along with contact details of customers care centre in newspapers.

However, telecom operators will have to share tariff details across all of their retail outlets, point of sales and on their website.