The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday issued directions that service providers should ensure that international mobile roaming (IMR) service remains inactive by default and can be activated only at the request of the customer. In case a customer has once activated, the service may be deactivated at any time of the request of the user. The regulator has amended the telecom consumer protection regulations, 2012, which gives consumers more control on activation of international roaming.
There have been various instances of bill shocks due to inadvertent use of international roaming by consumers. “The amendment is another step of Trai in empowering the consumer and ensuring protection of consumer from bill shocks,” Trai said.
The Trai has directed that every telco should immediately on activation of IMR inform the consumer through SMS, email or mobile app about the activation and applicable tariffs. The details about tariff rates including those of voice, data, and SMS, should be informed to the user.
A service provider should alert and advise the consumer, through SMS, in case the user has not subscribed to any specific IMR tariff pack, regarding the possibility of incurring significantly high charges due to usage of voice, SMS and data services at standard rates.
“Every service provider shall, through SMS, email, and mobile application, if available, provide an alert when the data usage exceeds 50%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of the data entitlement,” Trai said.
Get live Stock Prices from BSE, NSE, US Market and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know market’s Top Gainers, Top Losers & Best Equity Funds. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.