New Delhi: Airtel on Wednesday hit out at the decision of Trai to cut termination charge on mobile calls by 57 per cent saying that it only benefits only one telecom operator, an indirect reference to Jio. However, Jio in a statement said that there is no question of any advantage as it has already passed on all the benefits to customers.
“We are extremely disappointed with the latest regulation on the interconnection usage charge (IUC), especially at a time when the industry is facing severe financial stress. The suggested IUC rate, which has been arrived at in a completely non-transparent fashion, benefits only one operator which enjoys a huge traffic asymmetry in its favour,” said Airtel.
It said that the sharp drop in the IUC rate will only help transfer part of its cost to other operators, thereby further worsening the financial health of the industry.
“As part of an industry, which continues to be a critical driving force behind the economic growth in the country, we are genuinely dismayed by this decision,” it added.
However, Jio pointed out that it has always offered free voice services to its customers. "On the contrary, it is a fact that the high cost IUC regime thus far has caused financial stress for the smaller and new operators," said Jio.
