Trai: Reliance Jio’s Happy New Year offer different from previous one

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai) said Reliance Jio’s second promotional offer, christened Happy New Year, is different from the first one, called Welcome Offer, and not an extension of it. The opinion was filed with the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal ( TDSAT) on Thursday.

“The regulator has explained that the Happy New Year offer caps the data usage at 1GB, while the Welcome Offer had no such cap and this (new) offer is valid till March 2,” a person aware of the regulator’s filing told ET.

The filing comes in response to TDSAT’s query from the regulator on pleas filed by Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular. The petitions, first filed by Bharti, had urged TDSAT to ask the telecom regulator to order Jio to stop offering free voice and data services to its customers.

Bharti, and later Idea, had alleged the Happy New Year offer, which began on January 1, was an extension of the Welcome Offer, offering the same free voice and data services, which expired on December 31.

Trai’s opinion is on the lines of the opinion of the attorney general who has advised the telecom regulator on the matter.