TRAI Extends Deadline For Comments On Consultation Paper On Transparency In Mobile Tariff Offers

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday (23 January) for the second time extended the deadline for receiving public comments on its consultation paper regarding ‘Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers” to 7 February, reports Economic Times.

This is the second time that the deadline for seeking comments on the consultation paper has been extended by the telecom regulator.

“In view of the request of the stakeholders, it has been decided to further extend the last date for submission of written comments to 7th February 2020 and for counter comments to 21st February 2020,” the TRAI said in a press release.

The TRAI had earlier also extended the deadline for comments on the requests of stakeholders. The comments on the consultation paper, issued on 27 November 2019, were originally supposed to close on 26 December 2019.

The consultation paper had comments from industry stakeholders on enhancing transparency in disclosure of phone services rates and mooted an idea of introducing tariff calculator to help customers find the best plans to suit their usage.

According to the report, the regulator sought views on higher transparency in details of unlimited data plans, where promised speed is provided only up to a certain level of usage and information is concealed in service thereafter.

"The transparency in communication is not only relevant to ensure that consumers benefit from the access to critical information regarding the product/service but also to maintain and increase the competition intensity, vital for growth and development of the sector," TRAI had said in its paper.