Page Loader
Free calling no excuse for poor service, says TRAI chief

Free calling no excuse for poor service, says TRAI chief

Mar 02, 2020
03:42 pm

What's the story

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairperson RS Sharma on Sunday said that telecom companies cannot sidestep accountability on poor service quality by citing free voice calls. The TRAI chief said most telcos offering free calls argue that since they are not profiting from the calling service, they cannot be punished for poor quality. Here's more on what he said.

Information

Sharma was speaking at Asia Economic Dialogue 2020

Sharma made the statement while speaking on the third day of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2020 in Pune on Sunday. The three-day event was organized by the Pune International Center (PIC) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) at the JW Marriott in the city.

Quote

Telcos' argument incorrect; they're cross-subsidizing: Sharma

According to PTI, Sharma said, "Most of the telcos are offering voice free, their argument is that if something is free, how much can you (TRAI) punish me because I am not getting anything for that, which may not be correct because they are essentially cross-subsidizing." He added that "hopefully" the service quality will get better over time.

Call drops

Indian telcos suffering since Reliance Jio entered market

Sharma's remarks come as telco subscribers across India complain of call drops. Reportedly, since Reliance Jio made voice calling virtually free, other telcos have lost their biggest income stream and are now running into losses. At the Asia Economic Dialogue, Sharma also spoke on how the lowest tariffs around the world may be the reason why Indian telcos are having a tough time.

Infrastructure

Sharma said telecom towers do not impact health

Further, Sharma urged citizens to allow setting up of more telecom towers, adding that there is a misunderstanding about the towers leading to health hazards such as cancer. He pushed for last-mile telecom infrastructure to ensure faster connectivity in high-rise apartments. He also said that the upcoming 5G technology requires investment in infrastructure building, underlining the importance of laying optical fiber cable (OFC).

Other details

India to internationalize domestic e-payment systems

At the event, Sharma said that he has recommended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt a "digital diplomacy" strategy, wherein India would internationalize its knowledge on projects such as biometric ID or payment systems. Meanwhile, National Payments Corporation of India Chief Executive Dilip Asbe added that a trial payment through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was carried out on Sunday at a merchant's end in Singapore.