The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has permitted to increase the validity of the special tariff vouchers (STVs) from the present 90 days to one year.
According to TRAI, many internet users (especially the first-time users) fail to utilize the complete data allotted in an STV during the prescribed time period and such unused data will lapse. “Requests were received in TRAI seeking longer validity for data packs (that is Special Tariff Vouchers with only data benefits) primarily to address the concern of marginal consumers of wireless Internet who prefer lower denomination data packs with longer validity,” TRAI said in a press release.
This scenario will change once the STVs gets a longer validity. It also said that the pricing for per MB data turns out to be higher for consumers whose data gets lapsed.
“After undertaking a consultation process, TRAI has notified the 10th amendment to the TCPR (Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations) permitting the maximum validity of 365 days for data-only STVs instead of prevailing maximum validity of 90 days,” TRAI said in the announcement.
In another development, TRAI has issued a consultation paper on spectrum usage charge (SUC) for Internet Services Providers (ISPs). Stakeholders can submit their views by September 19 and the counter-comments are scheduled to be by October 3.
In response to the ongoing battle between Reliance Jio and other dominant players on denying interconnections for Jio, TRAI has assured to take a quick action. “We will take fast decisions. If there is a letter which has come from the telecom department or the industry or any agency, we will certainly respond to it,” Indian Express quoted TRAI Chairman R. S. Sharma.
