Trai exhorts operators to launch data pack with 1 year validity

KOLKATA: The telecom regulator has urged telcos to launch at least one mobile internet data pack with 365 days of validity, at the earliest, in order to boost data consumption among marginal users and first-timers.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is said to be miffed because not even a single private mobile carrier has so far unveiled longervalidity annual data packs approved by the regulator last year. “Not a single private telco, barring state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, has launched mobile internet data packs with 365-day validity,” a senior Trai official told ET.

“This is strange.... (because) the request for permitting longer validity data vouchers beyond 90 days had emanated from the telecom industry last year and was supported by all stakeholders during the consultation process," the official added.

Last August, the Trai, following requests from telcos, had cleared an increase in the validity period of mobile internet packs to 365 days from the 90-day limit to boost data consumption.




It had done so by notifying the 10th amendment to the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, permitting an increase in the validity period of data vouchers.

“Most telecom service providers have either not launched any pure data special tariff voucher (STV) with a validity of more than 90 days, or have only prescribed conditions of subsequent recharges for extending data benefits for 12 months,” said a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India advisory to telcos on Monday.

The telecom regulator has advised them to implement at least one mobile internet data pack with 365-day validity and a single-payment option to attract first-time data users.

“It was hoped that if the service providers offered attractive annual data packs, many first-time data users might be encouraged to try out data services as the inconvenience in the form of compulsions to recharge intermittently is removed,” Trai said in its advisory to carriers.

The latest advisory from the sector regulator does not mandate telcos to immediately launch such mobile internet data packs with a 365-day validity, but Trai says it is hopeful that telcos will comply as they were the ones who had demanded permission to do so last year.