Seems like Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI) will charge users a fee for their phone number. According to TRAI, similar to the allocation of spectrum, the government retains the ownership of the numbering space. Mobile network operators are granted usage rights for these numbers during their license term. According to the new telecom law, enacted in December last year, allows for charges on these numbers, now termed "telecom identifiers."
India May Implement Fee Per Number
To implement these charges, the telecom regulator has proposed various methods. The central government could either impose a one-time fee per number, introduce an annual recurring fee for each numbering resource, or hold centralised auctions for premium or "VIP" numbers.
Telecom majors such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are rolling out tiered postpaid plans, in a bid to boost average revenue per user (ARPU). This strategic move is geared towards enhancing financial performance and customer satisfaction in the competitive telecom market.
TRAI regards phone numbers as a valuable and finite public resource. The proposed charges may be levied on mobile operators, who might then transfer these costs to users.
Countries That Impose Fees For Phone Numbers
Many countries globally already charge fees for phone numbers. TRAI intends to introduce similar practices to efficiently manage India’s numbering resources. We bring you a list of all the countries that levy fees for phone number.
- The UK
- Lithuania
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Bulgaria
- Australia
- Singapore
- Belgium
- Finland
- Kuwait
- The Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Denmark
TRAI believes that introducing fees will help guarantee the efficient distribution and utilisation of these limited resources.
Currently, India has total 1,199.28 million telephone subscribers and has a tele-density of 85.69 per cent (as of March 31, 2024).
According to TRAI, it is crucial to assess the utilisation of TIs and make policy decisions to ensure a sustainable reservoir for the continued growth of telecommunication services.