REGD No. D.L. 33004/99

The Gazette of India

EXTRAORDINARY

PART TIT -Section 4

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

No.

16]

NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2001/1WAGHA 5, 1922

248 GI/2001

(1)

THE GAZETTE OF INDfA: EXTRAORDINARY

[PART III—SE<\ 4]

TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 25th January, 2001

No. 310-l(5)/TRAI-2000.— In exercise of the powers conferred upon it

under sub-section (2) of Section 11 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act,

1997 to notify, by an Order in the Official Gazette, tariffs at which Telecommunication

Services within India and outside India shall be provided, the Telecom Regulatory

Authority of India hereby makes the following Order.

The Telecommunication Tariff (Eleventh Amendment) Order 2001

(1 of 2001)

Section I

Title, Extent and Commencement

Short title, extent and commencement:

This Order shall be called "Telecommunication Tariff (Eleventh Amendment) •

Order 2001".

ii)

The Order shall come into force from the date of its Notification in the Official

Gazette.

Section H

In Schedule-I (Basic Services other than ISDN) of the Telecommunication Tariff

Order, 1999 under notes for the item 12(a) i.e. for^lSTD long distance calls' an

additional item (5) shall be inserted as follows:

(5).

'The pulse rate for a long distance PSTN call carried on the networks of

two fixed operators will be the same as the pulse rate corresponding to the

lowest tariff applicable for the same distance intra-network call. The pulse

rate for the fixed leg of a call originating in the fixed network and

terminating in mobile network shall be the same as pulse rate

corresponding to the lowest tariff applied by the service provider, for

intra-network calls for identical carriage from the originating SDCC to the

SDCC in which the POI is located."

Section TFf

This Order contains at Annex A, an Explanatory Memorandum to provide clarity

and transparency to the tariffs specifed in this Order.

HARSHA VARDHANA SINGH, Advisor (Economic)

[ADVT. HLTV/Exty/142/2000]

-^maTf^^h^

THE GAZETTE OF INDIA: EXTRAORDINARY

[FART III—SEC 4]

Annex A

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. In a letter dated 29.12.2000 BSNL reported tariffs to the Authority seeking to

reduce the STD call charge from 26* January, 2001, by extending the duration

of peak pulse rates for distance categories 50 to 200 kms compared to the

TRAI standard tariff package for basic services. According to the letter, these

revised pulse rates of BSNL, however, would apply only to "intra-circle calls

originated by the telephone subscribers of BSNL, and terminating in the basic

service network".

2. The Authority has received representations from COAI and ABTO that

sought the Authority's intervention to enlarge the scope of BSNL's proposal

in respect of inter-network calls also.

They sought the Authority's

intervention and requested that in the interest of level playing field:

(a)

the revised pulse rates (or tariffs) should apply also to calls from fixed

network to cellular mobile;

(b)

the revised pulse rates should also apply for calculating the carriage

charge to be paid by cellular mobile network to the fixed network;

(c)

the revised pulse rates should apply for the carriage charge paid by private

basic service providers to BSNL on intra-circle fixed to fixed network

calls.

3 The Authority has examined the above requests at length and has determined

that to ensure 'non-discrimination' and a 'level playing field', and also in the

interest of consumers BSNL's revised pulse rates should also apply to the

inter-network calls in cases detailed at items 2 (a), 2 (b) and 2 (c) above

While the issues covered by 2(b) and 2(c) are addressed by a Direction under

Section 13 of the TRAI Act 1997, this Order relates to inter network call

scenario described at 2(a) above.

4. In 01 der to ensure that the benefit of the lower tariff offered by BSNL actually

passes on to the subscribers of the private basic service operators, the latter is

being directed to modify his charging regime in respect of inter-network calls

originating on his network to fully reflect the tariff changes proposed by

BSNL. The underlying principle is that the same tariff should be levied for

same network elements used, As such, the same tariff should be applied for

the fixed leg of an inter network call that traverse the same distance on the

fixed network, irrespective of its termination in a fixed or a mobile network.

and PubfoiKd by theOmtrolkr of Publication*, Delbi-110054,