TRAI bars telcos from deactivating numbers having balance of Rs. 20
Telecom regulatory body has now barred the operators from deactivating 'inactive' mobile connections that have balance of Rs. 20.
The telecom operators will now not disconnect prepaid mobile connections that have been ‘inactive’ since 90 days but have at least balance of Rs. 20, according to the latest Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directive. The new regulation comes into effect from March 22. However, the operators have been allowed to deactivate prepaid connections that haven’t been used for a period 90 days and have balance less than Rs. 20.
“No service provider shall deactivate the cellular mobile telephone connection of a pre-paid consumer for non-usage if an amount exceeding twenty rupees…is available in the account of such consumer”, says the latest amendment made in TRAI’s Telecom Consumer Protection regulation
Regarding the deactivation of inactive connections, the regulator noted, “No cellular mobile telephone connection of a prepaid consumer is deactivated for non-usage, for a minimum period of ninety days or such longer period.”
The regulator’s directive comes in the wake of its recent observation that about 20 crore prepaid numbers have been deactivated that on the grounds of non-usage for a period of 90 days, and have average account balance of Rs. 6.
The amended regulation enables customers to reactivate their mobile connections by paying a ‘reasonable amount’ to their respective operator. “A consumer whose connection is deactivated shall be given a grace period of 15 days within which he can reactivate the same number,” TRAI added.
For postpaid customers, the TRAI has directed the operators to provide safe custody scheme to the subscriber under the customer can be charged an amount not more than Rs. 150 for three months in order to reactivate the number. The operators, however, cannot charge monthly rental for customers who have opted safe custody scheme.
Source: Economic Times