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Don't hide information on tariff packages: TRAI

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 17. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has once again asked phone service companies to refrain from concealing information about tariff packages that do not suit them.

The TRAI issued the instructions after an examination of tariff schemes revealed that customers were sometimes kept in the dark about the flexibility in tariff packages.

This is the fourth time in recent times that the TRAI reminded phone companies of the need to maintain probity in business.

The trigger for the directive was the recent launch of schemes offering handsets along with phone tariffs in one composite package.

The TRAI found that some companies had failed to inform customers that they could also choose "tariff only" schemes if they did not want to opt for schemes offering handsets along with phone connections.

The TRAI officials met phone company representatives to drive home the point that customers should be informed about all available tariff schemes irrespective of where the handset had been procured.

They noted that in certain cases, the customer was not informed about the existence of alternate tariff schemes.

The directive is in keeping with the TRAI's three-year strategy of taking a closer look at customer practices being followed by phone companies.

This is a parallel track adopted by the TRAI which complements its main business of setting tariffs and ensuring quality of service.

The TRAI also utilised the occasion to explain the guidelines that would be followed in examining such schemes.

It was made clear that there was no move to regulate handset prices or financing schemes for handsets.However, the TRAI regulates telecom tariffs and any handset offer must make sure that all the plans are on offer to the customer whether he procures the handset from the service provider or from the open market.

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