List of Operators with blackout days on 31st and on New Year. BSNL extends blackout days to voice calls

New Year is only hours away and everyone is excited to welcome 2015. If you feel like sending SMS with new year wishes to your friends, beware that all mobile operators has marked New Year's Eve(Dec 31st) and New Year(Jan 1st) as blackout days.

Why blackout days?

Blackout days are particular days predefined by your operator on which discounted or special rate SMS and Voice calls will not be applicable and SMS/Voice calls will be charged at base tariff. Blackout days was introduced by TRAI to avoid network congestion due to heavy network traffic on festive days. Operators can pick any 5 days on a calendar year in each circle. While this was introduced to put a curb on bulk SMS, operators are now including voice calls to blackout days.

BSNL extends blackout days to voice calls 

BSNL has announced that voice calls will also be included under blackout days. On these days STVs / Discounted Voice Calls or SMS will not be applicable and customers will be charged at base tariff rate. Also reduced tariff for “Friend & Family” will not be applicable on these days. The move comes on back of Reliance, Docomo, Aircel and Airtel(in some circles) already charging for voice calls on blackout days.

List of Operators with blackout days on Dec 31st and on New Year.

We have prepared the list of operators with blackout days for Voice/SMS on New Year's Eve(Dec 31st) and New Year(Jan 1st) based on information obtained from operator websites.

*Airtel has blackout days for voice calls in West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, J&K, Karnataka, HP, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP East & West. Please check with customer care and confirm blackout days details for your circle.

While SMS revenues has fallen drastically due WhatsApp and other IM, blackout days still helps operators to generate significant revenue on these festive days.

Please share your view on these blackout days by comments.