Telecom industry has rejected Trai’s call to provide talktime credit and extended validity to all pre-paid mobile phone users, saying telecos had offered benefits worth over Rs 600 crore to low-income subscribers to stay connected during the lockdown, and extending it to all pre-paid customers was unjustified. The response from COAI, whose members include Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, comes just days after Trai pulled up telcos on selective approach in extending validity and giving talktime credit.
The sector regulator had insisted that uninterrupted services need to be ensured for all prepaid subscribers amid the ongiong lockdown. Putting up a strong defense, the industry has said that adequate measures have already been taken to ensure that those who genuinely require support due to unavailability of options to recharge are provided help to tide over the situation.
COAI said in case Trai and the Government still feel need for extension of benefits to all prepaid feature phone subscribers, this should be provided in form of a subsidy to telecom sector like many other essential services.
