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Our Bureau

New Delhi , May 17

THE Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked the cellular operators to bring down the roaming tariffs, which were hiked from May 1, to the prescribed ceiling.

"The roaming tariff implemented by some operators for various distance slabs exceeds the prescribed limit and are also inconsistent with the provisions of Telecom Tariff Order and IUC (Interconnect User Charges) regulations," the regulator said in a statement on Monday.

TRAI has directed that the total roaming charges per minute "shall not exceed the currently applicable ceiling of Rs 3.45 (Rs 3 plus 15 per cent surcharge) plus IUC charges as provided in the 18th amendment to the Telecom Tariff Order."

Bharti Group's AirTel and Hutch had increased the roaming tariff by Rs 1.50 a minute with effect from May 1 under which mobile to mobile calls up to 200 km cost Rs 3.49 per minute and for distance over 200 km Rs 4.49 per minute.

Similarly, a post-paid roaming customer calling a landline at present pays Rs 4.49 per minute for distance up to 200 km, Rs 5.49 for distance slab of 200-500 km and Rs 6.49 a minute for distance beyond 200 kms.

TRAI has informed all the mobile operators that the roaming tariffs that are above the prescribed ceilings shall have to be reduced. The regulator also asked the operators to immediately restructure their roaming tariffs and furnish their compliance report along with the revised roaming tariffs by Thursday.

Hutch and AirTel spokespersons were not available for comment.

"The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) will come back to you with our response in due course," the spokesperson of one of the operators said.

The COAI Director General, Mr T.V. Ramachandran, when contacted, expressed his inability to comment saying that he had not seen the TRAI order as he was out of town.

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