Allow Port Out SMS Facility Irrespective Of Tariff Plan: TRAI
The telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI) has directed telecom operators to immediately enable port-out SMS facility for all mobile users, irrespective of tariff offers, vouchers, or plans they have opted for.
Recently, Reliance Jio had written to the regulator complaining that the new tariff structure of Vodafone Idea (VIL) allegedly restricts entry-level customers to port out their mobile number from its network.
After increasing tariffs, telecom companies had stopped the facility of free SMS in some new tariff plans, due to which customers were not able to send messages to port the number. TRAI has considered this as a violation of the rules. According to TRAI, not giving SMS facility to prepaid users is a violation of the rules of mobile number portability (MNP).
In a direction issued on Tuesday, TRAI said, in recent past it has received complaints from subscribers over their inability to send SMS on short code 1900 specified for UPC (Unique Porting Code) generation, for availing mobile number portability facility despite having sufficient balance in their prepaid accounts.
The regulator maintained that the practice of non-provision of the facility of sending mobile number portability related SMS in certain prepaid vouchers/plans is a "contravention" of norms "as it takes away the consumers' right, provided for in the regulations to avail mobile number portability facility".
To recall, Telcos do not include SMS plans in their lower-priced prepaid recharge plans. Most of the plans below Rs 100 provide data and Talktime only.
