Reliance Communications welcomes TRAI decision to slash IUC

New Delhi Sep 20 (IANS) Reliance Communications on Wednesday welcomed the Indian telecom regulator s decision to slash interconnection usage charges (IUC) to 6 paise.

"We welcome the reduction in IUC to 6 paise by TRAI. We also welcome the Bill & Keep model to be effective from January 2020. The IUC cut has already been delayed by three years. With voice calling becoming free TRAI s move will provide a level playing field " Reliance Communications said in a statement.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday came out with a regulation cutting call termination charges from mobile to mobile by over half to 6 paise per minute effective from October 1. The measure drew stiff opposition from a majority of telecom operators who plan to seek legal redressal.

The sector regulator also plans to phase out IUC by January 1 2020.

"For mobile to mobile termination charge has been reduced from 14 paise per minute to 6 paise per minute with effect from October 1 2017 " the TRAI said in a statement.

"Such a revision in the mobile termination charge is in line with the international trends."

Domestic termination charges are the charges payable by a telecom service provider (TSP) whose subscriber originates the call to the TSP in whose network the call terminates.

--IANS
ag/vm