Trai Defers Zero Fee Plan On Call Links

Airtel, Vodafone Idea get some relief

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The telecom regulatory authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday postponed by a year the move to implement the zero-interconnect usage charges (IUC) regime that was scheduled to come into effect from January 2020, giving some relief to loss-making telcos Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel.

“For wireless to wireless domestic calls, termination charge would continue to remain 6 paise per minute up to December 31, 2020. From January 1, 2021, onwards the termination charge for wireless to wireless domestic calls shall be zero,” the Trai said in a press release on Tuesday.

The interconnect charge is paid by the telco from which the call originates to the rival telco on which the call terminates.