Trai fine on Airtel Jio Vi BSNL: Bank guarantee can be used by TRAI to recover the fine from telecom companies Airtel, Jio, Vi, BSNL. If this happens, the financial burden on telecom companies will increase, and they can make recharge plans expensive in the coming days.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to levy a penalty for failing to stop spam calls and messages. To recover this penalty, it has been suggested to seize the bank guarantee of telecom companies. Let us tell you that TRAI has the right to cancel the license of a telecom company if it does not follow the rules. However, instead of canceling the license, the emphasis is being laid on collecting a fine.
What will be its effect on mobile users?
No answer has been given by the telecom companies in this matter. However, it is also true that the amount of the fine is recovered from the final consumer mobile users. Recently, telecom companies have made mobile recharge plans expensive to increase the Average Revenue per User i.e. ARPU by Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea.
After effect of collecting the fine
However, if the government forcibly collects fines from telecom companies, then the telecom companies will recover the fine by increasing the cost of mobile recharge plans. Although, this fine will not be imposed directly on mobile users, but the truth of history till date is that whenever telecom companies incur losses, or they have to invest in 5G or any new technology, the price of mobile recharge is increased by the telecom companies.
Government refuses to interfere in the matter
When telecom companies increase mobile recharge plans without giving any specific reason, the government refuses to interfere in the matter. Jio and Airtel increased the tariff plan on July 3, while a day later on July 4, Vodafone-Idea increased its recharge plan. When the matter reached the government via social media, the government clearly refused to interfere in the matter.
How much fine on whom
If the report is to be believed, a fine of about Rs 115 crore can be recovered from the bank guarantee of telecom companies. Let us tell you that in the last 8 to 10 years, BSNL and MTNL have been jointly fined Rs 50 crore for spam calls. Bharti Airtel owes Rs 20 crore as a fine. Similarly, Vodafone Idea has to pay Rs 15 crore, while Reliance Jio owes Rs 12 crore as a fine.
No payment after reminder
According to a report, private telecom companies have not paid the fine for 10 months to three years. Also, whenever Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea, BSNL and MTNL have been questioned in this matter, no answer has been received from them. TRAI has been giving reminders to telecom companies in this matter for many years. But despite this, no outstanding amount has been paid by the telecom companies. In such a situation, TRAI has suggested to DoT to recover the outstanding amount from the bank guarantee money.
What is the argument of the telecom operator
According to the report, a senior official related to this matter said that telecom companies have appealed to TRAI that they should not impose a penalty on telecom companies for spam calls and messages, because they do not promote spam calls and messages. Also, fake messages and calls have not been generated by them. The origin source of fake messages and calls are not telecom companies. Telecom companies themselves are working with the government in this matter to stop spam calls and messages. In such a situation, the responsibility should be put on telemarketers or other corporate entities.
What does TRAI say?
TRAI argues that telecom companies are fully bound to take measures to stop unwanted calls and spam. In such a situation, if telecom companies are not successful in this task, then they should be legally fined. TRAI has issued several instructions to telecom companies to curb spam and phishing. But telecom companies have not implemented all the instructions.
TRAI has recently extended the deadline for blocking unregistered mobile numbers to October 1, 2024.
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