Call tariffs to fall as regulator cuts charges

New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) on Monday slashed termination charges by 33 per cent, a move which would result in bringing down the mobile tariffs for consumers.

Termination charges are paid by one operator to another on whose network the call ends.

The regulator has reduced the termination charges on local calls to 20paise a minute from existing 30paise.

The new operators such as Datacom, Unitech, Shyam-Sistema and Loop Telecom among others were demanding 0-10paise per minute termination charge whereas the existing GSM operators were opposing any reduction in the charges, fearing there revenue would take a hit.

The international calls made from overseas to India are going to be costlier as the regulator has increased the termination charge for incoming international call to 40paise from existing 30 paise per minute.