Mobile bills to become cheaper, TRAI slashes international incoming call termination rates

New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday slashed international incoming call termination rate to 30 paise per minute from 53 paise per minute.

These rates are paid by foreign carriers for terminating international calls in India.

The blended termination rate paid by Indian operators is around Rs. 3.50 a minute for outgoing international calls compared to 53 paise per minute termination rate received by them on incoming international calls

On the contrary, Cellular operators’ association COAI, a couple of months ago, had favoured a steep hike in international termination charges stating that there is a need to bridge the gap between blended termination rate paid by Indian operators for outgoing international calls and the termination rates received by them on international incoming calls.

The issue had formed a part of the consultation paper on Interconnection Usage Charges or IUC but was carved out for separate deliberations by the regulator.