In exercise of the powers conferred upon it under sub section (2) of section 11, read with sub clause (i) of clause (b) of sub section (1) of the said section, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act

EXTRAORDINARY PART III—Section 4 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY (2024 का 2) No. 1029] NEW DELHI, TUES DAY , DECEMBER 2 4, 2024 /PAUSHA 3, 194 6 CG-DL-E-30122024-259718 TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA NOTIFICATION New Delhi, 23 rd December, 2024 No. RG -13/1/(1)/2023 -ADV_FEA -I. —In exercise of the powers conferred upon it under sub -section (2) of section 11, read with sub -clause (i) of clause (b) of sub -section (1) of the said section, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India hereby makes the following Order further to amend the Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999, namely: - THE TELECOMMUNICATION TARIFF (SEVENTIETH AMENDMENT) ORDER, 2024 (2 of 2024) 1. Short title, extent and commencement: (1) This Order may be called the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024. (2) This Order shall come into force after thirty days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In clause 2 of the Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999 – (i) in sub -clause (da), for the words “ninety days”, the words “three hundred and sixty -five days” shall be substituted; (ii) in sub -clause (ma), for the words “ninety days”, the words “three hundred and sixty -five days” shall be substituted. Note.1. – The Telecommunication Tariff Order, 1999 was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 under notification No. 99/3 dated 09th March, 1999, and subsequently amended as given below: - Amendment No. Notification No. and Date 1st 301-4/99-TRAI (Econ) dated 30.03.1999 2nd 301-4/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 31.05.1999 3rd 301-4/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 31.05.1999 4th 301-4/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 28.07.1999 5th 301-4/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 17.09.1999 6th 301-4/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 30.09.1999 7th 301-8/2000 -TRAI(Econ) dated 30.03.2000 8th 301-8/2000 -TRAI(Econ) dated 31.07.2000 9th 301-8/2000 -TRAI(Econ) dated 28.08.2000 10th 306-1/99-TRAI(Econ) dated 09.11.2000 11th 310-1(5)/TRAI -2000 dated 25.01.2001 12th 301-9/2000 -TRAI(Econ) dated 25.01.2001 13th 303-4/TRAI -2001 dated 01.05.2001 14th 306-2/TRAI -2001 dated 24.05.2001 15th 310-1(5)/TRAI -2000 dated 20.07.2001 16th 310-5(17)/2001 -TRAI(Econ)dated 14.08.2001 17th 301/2/2002 -TRAI(Econ) dated 22.01.2002 18th 303/3/2002 -TRAI(Econ) dated 30.01.2002 19th 303/3/2002 -TRAI(Econ) dated 28.02.2002 20th 312-7/2001 -TRAI(Econ) 14.03.2002 21st 301-6/2002 -TRAI(Econ) dated 13.06.2002 22nd 312-5/2002 -TRAI(Eco) dated 04.07.2002 23rd 303/8/2002 -TRAI(Econ) dated 06.09.2002 24th 306-2/2003 -Econ dated 24.01.2003 25th 306-2/2003 -Econ dated 12.03.2003 26th 306-2/2003 -Econ dated 27.03.2003 27th 303/6/2003 -TRAI(Econ) dated 25.04.2003 28th 301-51/2003 -Econ dated 05.11.2003 29th 301-56/2003 -Econ dated 03.12.2003 30th 301-4/2004(Econ) dated 16.01.2004 31st 301-2/2004 -Eco dated 07.07.2004 32nd 301-37/2004 -Eco dated 07.10.2004 33rd 301-31/2004 -Eco dated 08.12.2004 34th 310-3(1)/2003 -Eco dated 11.03.2005 35th 310-3(1)/2003 -Eco dated 31.03.2005 36th 312-7/2003 -Eco dated 21.04.2005 37th 312-7/2003 -Eco dated 02.05.2005 38th 312-7/2003 -Eco dated 02.06.2005 39th 310-3(1)/2003 -Eco dated 08.09.2005 40th 310-3(1)/2003 -Eco dated 16.09.2005 41st 310-3(1)/2003 -Eco dated 29.11.2005 42nd 301-34/2005 -Eco dated 07.03.2006 43rd 301-2/2006 -Eco dated 21.03.2006 44th 301-34/2006 -Eco dated 24.01.2007 45th 301-18/2007 -Eco dated 05.06.2007 46th 301-36/2007 -Eco dated 24.01.2008 47th 301-14/2008 -Eco dated 17.03.2008 48th 301-31/2007 -Eco dated 01.09.2008 49th 301-25/2009 -ER dated 20.11.2009 50th 301-24/2012 -ER dated 19.04.2012 51st 301-26/2011 -ER dated 20.04.2012 52nd 301-41/2012 -F&EA dated 19.09.2012 53rd 301-39/2012 -F&EA dated 01.10.2012 54th 301-59/2012 -F&EA dated 05.11.2012 55th 301-10/2012 -F&EA dated 17.06.2013 56th 301-26/2012 -ER dated 26.11.2013 57th 312-2/2013 -F&EA dated 14.07.2014 58th 312-2/2013 -F&EA dated 01.08.2014 59th 310-5 (2)/2013 -F&EA dated 21.11.2014 60th 301-16/2014 -F&EA dated 09.04.2015 61st 301-30/2016 -F&EA dated 22.11.2016 62nd 301-30/2016 -F&EA dated 27.12.2016 63rd 312-1/2017 -F&EA dated 16.02.2018 64th 301-20/2018 -F&EA dated 24.09.2018 65th 301-03/2020 -F&EA dated 03.06.2020 66th C-3/7/(5)/2021 -FEA -1 dated 27.01.2022 67th C-3/7/(5)/2021 -FEA -1 dated 31.03.2022 68th C/(5)/2021 -FEA -II dated 07.04.2022 69th C/(2)/2021 -FEA -I dated 06.12.2022 Note 2.– The Explanatory Memorandum explains the objects and reasons for the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024. EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM A) Introduction and Background: 1. The Authority had conducted a Consumer Survey between September 2022 to November 2022, in respect of Tariffs of Telecommunication Services and related issues with the objective to understand: • the consumer views on evolution of tariffs per se; • the efficacy of consumer protection regulations included in the Tariff Order; • the efficacy of transparency framework in publishing of tariff offers in advertisement give n by the Telecom Service Provider (TSP). 2. Based on feedback from consumers, TSPs, associations, and other stakeholders, TRAI released a consultation paper on July 26, 2024, to review the Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations (TCPR), 2012. The said paper specifically addresses the validity of vouchers, exploring the need to review the current ninety (90) day cap on Special Tariff Vouchers (STV) and Combo Vouchers (CV) and to assess if specific consumer segments might benefit from extended validity for STVs and CVs. B) Response from the stakeholders: 1. A total of 41 comments and 5 counter -comments were received in response to the consultation paper, representing associations, TSPs, individuals, and consumer groups. These comments are publicly accessible on the TRAI website. An online Open House Discussion (OHD) was held on October 21, 2024, with participation from various stakeholders. Additional feedbacks were also received after the OHD. 2. On the issue of extending the validity of STV and CV, most stakeholders favoured extending the cap beyond the current ninety (90) days. TSPs argued that the ninety (90) day cap is outdated given the evolving telecom landscape, and many agreed that longer validity would save consumers from frequent recharges. After considering views of stakeholders and the existing provisions that allows data -only packs, the Authority has decided to extend the validity cap for STV and CV from ninety (90) days to three hundred and sixty -five (365) days. The longer duration recharges of up to three hundred and sixty -five (365) days will obviate the need of frequent recharges. However, service providers may offer shorter validity packs, if desired. VIJAY KUMAR, Advisor (F&EA) [ADVT. -III/4/Exty./ 846/2024 -25] Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi -110054.