Indian mobile operators are in a tussle as some of them are disconnecting SMS interconnection from other operators. And as usual the subscribers are in a mess at the end. The issues have been started since Diwali, when Airtel blocked incoming SMS from Reliance and Aircel on the ground of spamming their network.
Currently the SMS interconnection is mandated by TRAI, but the termination charge is not decided by TRAI, it can be negotiated between two operators. Now both Airtel and Vodafone is asking 10p per SMS for termination charge.
Airtel – Reliance Communications
Airtel blocked all SMS from RCom networks as Airtel explained that Rcom’s free SMS offering was spamming its network. Later Airtel re-allow SMS from Reliance Communications after telecom tribunal gave a ruling.
Airtel – Aircel
It is a long dispute as Airtel blocked texts from Aircel network before Diwali on the ground of spamming network. Later Airtel claims Rs 25 crore as SMS termination charge from Aircel at the rate of 10 paisa per SMS. Aircel did say the payment is too high and moved to Supreme Court against Airtel. Aircel is not charging for undelivered SMS to Airtel numbers for this period.
Vodafone – Tata Docomo
In the latest SMS dispute Vodafone started restriction on SMS coming from Tata Teleservices networks (both GSM and CDMA) as Vodafone claims that TTL must pay Rs 188 crore as SMS termination charge at the rate of 10paisa per SMS. TDSAT ordered Vodafone not to take such action till it hears the plea of TTL.
It is quite funny that these operators are all going to courts, while TRAI who finalize the termination charges on voice calls, is still not coming with a firm solution to prevent such anti-consumer moves by industry’s top players. Interestingly TRAI can easily cut down the termination charge on voice calls to counter-act operators’ hike on voice tariff.
Indian courts headed by aged lawmen don’t understand young generation’s need and always mess up this thing. Already Delhi Court ruled to allow maximum 100 SMS per day per SIM with SMS pack and post 100 SMS it is to be charged at higher price for the sake of preventing pesky and spam SMS. This ruling allowed the operators to charge whatever they like to do. Already T24 start charging Re1 for local SMS and Rs 1.50 for STD SMS post 100 SMS on a day.
Sathish November 27, 2012 at 12:32 pm
On Sunday, Bharti Airtel sent out SMSs to all its subscribers, saying “Airtel users may face an issue while sending SMS to Aircel numbers due to a pending inter-operator agreement at Aircel’s end. We will keep you informed on the resolution.”
sona November 26, 2012 at 9:53 pm
oh god again dis 100 msg prb…y dis ppl alwys crt dis msg prblm
Tikku April 23, 2013 at 11:56 am
Sona @ Good but think about traffic if you really pass the info you can spend 10p right ? or you may call that person.
raj November 25, 2012 at 5:46 am
kick airtel out of india.everytime inventing new ways of robbing their customers,now even harrasing others customers too!
Sudhakar November 24, 2012 at 12:39 am
To telecomtalk :
What will be the case if :
A international customer using a foreign SIM logs into the aircel network and sends SMS to Vodafone numbers in the disputed telecom circles?.
The same way what will happen if a international customer using a foreign SIM logs into aircel network and sends SMS to the airtel number in the disputed circle?.
Udayan November 23, 2012 at 9:15 am
I think its a very calculated move from VODAFONE and AIRTEL–the two bad guys from telecom Industry…They will never ever offer good packs to their customer and they are always looking for ways to make life hell for customers from rival operators..In turn this move shall lead to more costly SMS packs or 500 sms/month @ Rs 40 per month…Its a very “good” move from these BIG BAD guys…SMS are chocking their networks…:-)
Md Mahtab Alam Ansari November 22, 2012 at 11:53 pm
TATA DOCOMO CDMA also charged local sms @RS 1/sms AND NATIONAL AT Rs 1.50/sms after usage of 100 sms per day.
Arockia Ignatius November 22, 2012 at 10:01 pm
aircel in upw also has started charging extra beyond 100 sms per day… without any information to the customer…
Arasu November 22, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Just now received an SMS from Aircel: “Dear Customer, SMS to Vodafone & Airtel nos has been blocked by Vodafone & Airtel. We are trying to resolve this issue on priority. Inconvenience regretted.”
Adil November 22, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Then I too don’t know and I also like you now wants to know the reason ……
Sujith November 22, 2012 at 3:26 pm
One thing I can say is I used to get some 8 to 9 useless SMS in my Airtel number daily since last 1 year. But from last few weeks I am getting only 1 or 2 promotional SMS that too from Airtel only. Receiving all other crap SMS has stopped.
I dont find any issues in personal messages received too. They are getting delivered as usual.
S.Sudhakar November 22, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Adil :
Understand what I am coming to say. I have a BSNL number which was ported out to Airtel. I am getting SMS from reliance gsm to that Airtel number.
Adil November 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm
I think it is because airtel has block no. by series of reliance and the no. ported from bsnl to reliance is a series of bsnl so airtel computer think that the SMS is sent from bsnl …
Raj November 22, 2012 at 11:04 am
Wasap ka zamana hai bhai….no use blocking smses
All operators are taking customers for a ride and this is due to their monopoly, namely vodafone and airtel
But we dont have much option either coz if u want good network u ought 2 use vodafone / airtel
S.Sudhakar November 22, 2012 at 10:36 am
To telecomtalk :
In Tamilnadu :
SMS from Reliance GSM to original (not port in) Airtel number is sent but not delivered. But SMS from Reliance GSM to Airtel number (ported out from BSNL 94436 xxxxx) is getting delivered. Why is this?.
S.Sudhakar November 22, 2012 at 10:25 am
Cool guys. MNP is there. So port out to teach a lesson to the looting AIRTEL.
At the same time, I get annoyed to see BSNL looting even for voice calls and GPRS during the 5 festive days (31st Dec, 01st Jan, 14th Feb, Deepaavali day and 25th December). What to do?. I have to use IDEA’s (Tamilnadu) 1 day pack to compensate this.
I ported out from AIRTEL (using airtel number) to Reliance GSM on August 2012 last week. The reliance GSM network is worst in such a way that even GPRS is not connecting properly in any compatible mobile. The signal strength is always varying and is always logging into aircel ICR network. BSNL is not like that. 99% coverage in most of the places.
So I have decided to port out from reliance gsm to BSNL. IDEA Tamilnadu is cheap only for voice calls. It does not have 1 month pack 100 or 200 all India SMS per day or low data usage pack with more validity (like Rs.54 in BSNL which gives 500 MB 2G data for 30 days).
sandeep November 22, 2012 at 9:42 am
There should not be any charges for receiving sms from the other operator incoming sms should be free the trai have to give orders to the operator and if the rules are not followed then the operator licence can be cancel with with immediate effect…
V.P.Guru November 22, 2012 at 8:51 am
BSNL is started with one of the motive, to prevent customers from unscrupulous activities of private.. But, BSNL is standing outside the campus. I mean they need to provide congestion free service to their MOBILE users in ALL the circles. If BSNL is strong, no one will be back to airtel. Airtel may come behind us with so many offers….
m. murmu November 22, 2012 at 8:04 am
+1000
Nilesh November 22, 2012 at 12:17 am
The 100 sms/day limit is NOT due to High Court order but it is a TRAI regulation to curb ‘misuse’ of sims for marketing. HC had few months back ruled against the limit of 200 sms/day.
nikhil November 21, 2012 at 11:11 pm
firstly avoid these three operators Airtel,Idea and Vodafone they are providing wrost services and charged high, they think costumers are fool, and they are making fool
rockstr November 21, 2012 at 11:08 pm
yes buddy ur right, and airtel reduce the GPRS speed from 250KBps to 180 and 180-60 and now 60KBps to 20KBps ,now every one (IDEA and VODAFONE )following airtel
drkavint November 21, 2012 at 10:53 pm
in 10 years we forgotten about greeting cards and inland letters…
email, sms are king now…
gone are trunk call and lightening calls…its video call and conference calls
soon sms will be replaced by facebook and whats up apk…
better operators encourage sms to get minimal revenue …else this will become story of golden egg duck story(((like 2g auction )))
operators executives need no advice from us but iam just reminding them sms fight will become kill the usage…
VENKAT November 21, 2012 at 10:45 pm
AIRTEL, VODAFONEOne company is national robber and another one is british robber.Now i am taking revenge on these two companies by porting every three months and getting frc benifits freely. friends , u also do like this and enjoy with out paying any thing extra excet mnp fee 25rupees for 3months.
drkavint November 21, 2012 at 10:42 pm
its better trai fixes terminals sms charge as 2 to 5 paise..mms as 10 to 20p..and suggest increase in 100sms cap to 200sms…
sms will die if 4g and VoIP are launched…
better operators realize this and encourage sms….
Animesh Sengupta November 21, 2012 at 9:46 pm
Animesh Sengupta November 21, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Recently I trust that incoming has become chargeable in Mumbai for Maharashtra & Goa subscribers,not sure if I saw this update on telecom talk
jigar November 21, 2012 at 9:33 pm
+1
You are absolutely right bro…This is totally blackmailing against New operator to increasing Tariff..And Let’s teach lesson to Airtel..Don’t use it’s product if possible..Kick off airtel so new operator give better rates…And also we can break unity of AVoId (Airtel,Vodafone In, Idea) using Neglect product of Airtel..
VATSA November 21, 2012 at 9:19 pm
@Mane
Airtel ,Voda and Idea togather trying to monopolize the telecom industry in INDIA as more than 50% of subscribers come under them. They are making customers dance to their tunes with unethical business ways .. !! All Govt. bodies turning a blind eye to it.
Adil November 21, 2012 at 9:17 pm
You are right mane its just a trick by this bloody bharti airtel who just make innovative ideas to lot customer
Firstly they are not bharti as they are not doing anything in for us but making international roaming call free which is non sense where roaming within India is chargable all this hike is started some where due to airtel only
Guddusheth November 21, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Vodafone is charging very high in all segment…better go for Reliance..Reliance CDMA is still the best……
AP November 21, 2012 at 8:45 pm
TRAI has turned out to be fantastically incompetent on this issue. They should mandate a interconnect charge of something like 3 paise per SMS between providers. And why is the issue of spam still around? Is DND not working? TRAI needs to stop making policy without thinking matters through. Some fellow in TRAI needs to get sacked for this fiasco since it is causing a lot of genuine sms senders, including banks, a lot of problems.
Sudhakar November 21, 2012 at 8:09 pm
To PD :
The BSNL idiots charge for all transactions (voice, SMS and data) during the festive season (5 days in a year). Damn it. BSNL is looting a lot from the customers. Damn it.
Amit November 21, 2012 at 7:26 pm
This is bad and not ethical, thank god I and my friends have Whats app.
VATSA November 21, 2012 at 7:25 pm
This is very bad .. !! Arrogant move by Airtel .. Many of my friends use Aircel and Reliance … Not able to MSG them ..
.. I think TRAI or DOT should intervene and stop this ..
jigar November 21, 2012 at 5:55 pm
In Gujarat,Today i received sms from the TATA DOCOMO GSM for increasing sms rate from 0.60 paisa/200 sms to 1 Rs/100 sms ,and also received sms about Rules: As per TRAI NEW RULES above 100 sms/day all local and National sms charge 1 Rs and 1.50 Rs. respectively from the 20 Nov.2012.
Jagan T November 21, 2012 at 5:47 pm
These issues confirms again TRAI has no control or managing capability.
WiMAX November 21, 2012 at 5:39 pm
bull s#!t.. voda airtel go to hell
Sathish November 21, 2012 at 5:37 pm
From Day 0, I’m expecting about the real issue related article in our TT portal; but today only TT team update it.
Thanks for the article.
Finally the issue came – limelight.
Issue and My View: ‘SMS Blocking Game’ – First Started by leading telecom fraud – Airtel.
This is the internal issue – Raising Billing for SMS termination and Spam SMS, why they always cheating customers, Inconvenience are faces only for customers not for these leading telecom frauds.
I’m using Chennai & RoTN Circle’s – AIRCEL and BSNL Mobile
I’m suffering lot from this ‘leading operator’s game’.
I’m using AIRCEL & BSNL MOBILE for the past 7 years, this is the first time am facing this kind of trouble on my AIRCEL Number; but there is no such kind of issue in my BSNL Mobile.
On 12th Nov’12, I was found all my Sending SMS is failed to – (Only Airtel numbers), but my aircel is charging for every sms to all airtel numbers without sms delivery.
On 14th Nov’12, my Aircel number is unable to receive single sms from any airtel number; because Aircel had blocked all sms from airtel.
Till now I’m unable to send sms to airtel number, and receive sms from airtel number.
Now I’m only depends on my BSNL Number for all kind of incoming and outgoing – local or national sms.
In BSNL As usual am getting sms from all operator’s SMS and I can able to send sms to all network numbers.
Meanwhile TRAI has restricted sms cap 100 sms /day from 20th Nov’12, many of them not known about that.
Likewise same issue is there between DoCoMo and Vodafone, Airtel and Reliance.
This move is looks like telecom cartel’s (Airtel, Vodafone & IDEA) next strategic game plan. In future we can’t expect free SMS from small and medium scale telecom operators.
Because this cartel’s has huge subscriber base; they can only give free sms to other network.
Remaining operators has very low subscriber base; so that they can’t give free sms to other network.
Here we must think termination charges only for off-net SMS; On-net SMS is free; here there is no termination and no expenses (charges) for an operator. so low and medium size operators will have to pay more to these leading cartel, but these cartel (AT, VF, IDEA) will have to pay (SMS-termination charges) very less to Low and medium size operators’.
So friends this is one of the telecom game to destroy small and medium size operators like Aircel, TATA, and Videocon.
Till now there is Zero ‘SMS BLOCKING issue’ only in BSNL MOBILE and IDEA MOBILE.
These kind of game only with private operators network not in Govt network (BSNL).
So here my request is every one should keep one BSNL Mobile number for safe!
Let’s wait and watch the cartel’s game!
Thanks to Rudradeep and Tarun.
Mane November 21, 2012 at 5:13 pm
All bad ideas,that are not in the favour of customer,come from Airtel only. Here are some highlighted issues:-
1. When per second plan started in India by docomo and followed by other, then Airtel came with a differ idea of charging 1.2p/sec on per second plan.
2. When service tax decreased to 10.30%, then firstly airtel increased procceing fee from rs 1 to 2,3 and even rs 4 in some circles.
3. Airtel, firstly said that 3g service cant be offered at low price in India.
4. In every circle popular 2gb internet plan started at rs 98 or its + -. But airtel was the first operator to decrease data benifit to 1gb and later followed by other.
5. Airtel changed the validity frame of rate cutters from months to week. For e.g. 1gb data plan for 2g is now valid for four weeks,(7*4=28 days) not for 30 days in many circles. Later this was followed by other operators too.
6. Firstly airtel made too much noise before starting recent 2g auction that call rates may be very high because base price was high. But they bid for only a single circle.
7. Airtel restricted incoming sms from aicrel and reliance and also outgoing sms to these operators. Now this has been followed by vodafone also.
So airtel is the most robber operator of India and beginner bad ideas in telcom world in our country.
Kingston November 21, 2012 at 5:11 pm
100sms/day limit is already there. Then how Airtel can say RGSM is spamming network? So TRAI should remove sms termination charges ASAP. Otherwise we can not enjoy low price sms rate cutter from new operators. New operators atleast launch on net free sms pack at low cost.
PD November 21, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Topsy-turvy (“i” “!”-ed sirji… who boasts – an idea can change life – started sending subscribers SMSes-“Govt nirdesh anusaar 20thNo12 se aap prati din 100 SMS base tariff par bhej sakte hai isse adhik SMS karne par aapko normal SMS rate lagega Loc Re1, STD 1.5″ Take it or leave it !
Harish November 21, 2012 at 4:20 pm
This is utter non sense.the cap of 100 sms should be lifted.atleast the earlier one of 200 sms was reasonable.
PD November 21, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Sometime back, I remember the news, that after a detailed in-depth analysis the cost was found to be just 1 or to paise per sms ! Even at that time the providers were charging something around Rs. 3 to Rs.4/- per sms. Then came the special STVs and other offers thru which the cost came down drastically. Surprisingly now making a voice call is cheap (with bonus cards) rather than sending SMS, especially on festival days ! Now a days no one care about TRAI, be its recommendations or directives for everybody know that once the matter goes to a tribunal/court the whole issue gets prolonged and by fortune could be made ! The stake holders in telecom are a harried lot for at times they cartel and in some case cross swords – OMG !
VENKAT November 21, 2012 at 3:22 pm
STUPID AIRTEL. IT IS THE BIGGEST CULPRIT IN INDIAN TELECOM INDUSTRY. EVERY CUSTOMER SHOULD REALISE THIS AND STOP USING AIRTEL. AIRTEL, VODA SUCKS.
varun November 21, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Very bad news .. i am shocked