The Hindu Business Line : Airtel cuts mobile ISD tariffs

New Delhi March 31 Private telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Saturday took the lead in dropping international long distance telephone tariffs for its cellular users by up to 11 per cent. The move follows a 36 per cent reduction in the access deficit charges (ADC) initiated by the telecom regulator.

The new tariff will be applicable from April 1 onwards. Other International Long Distance (ILD)operators including Reliance Communications and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd are also expected to come out with their revised tariffs.

As per the new tariffs announced by Bharti Airtel, calls to USA, Canada, Europe (fixed line), South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand will cost Rs. 6.40 per minute compared to the current rate of Rs 7.20 per minute.

Calls to other countries in the Gulf, Europe (Mobile), SAARC countries and Africa will cost Rs 9.20 per minute compared to Rs 9.99 at present. The TRAI had reduced the levy on ILD calls by 80 paise which has been passed on to the consumers by the operator.

"With this, Airtel has made ISD calling from mobile more economical than making ISD calls from Fixed/Landline phones. This spells huge benefits for the mobile user as Airtel continues drive affordability in the Indian telecom market. I am happy that Airtel is taking a step further to dissolve boundaries and bring people closer to connect with their business associates, friends and family internationally," said Mr Sanjay Kapoor, President, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel.

The move will benefit 35 million Airtel mobile subscribers.

TRAI had earlier reduced the burden of ADC on private operators from Rs 3200 crore to Rs 2000 crore. ADC is a levy imposed by the regulator on operators to subsidise rural telephony. The levy is collected from the subscribers on a per-minute basis on international long distance calls and as a percentage of the operator's revenues from domestic calls.

While TRAI had reduced the levy on domestic telephone calls last year, this year the effect of the reduction is on ILD tariffs.

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