Severe Media Outrage forces Airtel To Roll Back Its Plan Of Charging Extra For VoIP Calls

Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel has to buckle down under severe pressure from all quarters to take back its decision to charge extra for the VoIP calls that we make from clients like Skype, Viber, Line, and WeChat etc.   

"In view of the news reports that a consultation paper will be issued shortly by TRAI on issues relating to services offered by OTT (over the top content) players including VoIP, we have decided not to implement our proposed launch of VoIP packs," the company informed the media. 

Airtel had plans to charge the users on a pay-as-you-go basis for using the VoIP services at a standard rate of 4 paise per 10 KB on 3G network and 10 paise per 10 KB on 2G network would have been applied. 

"We have no doubt that as a result of the consultation process a balanced outcome would emerge that would not only protect the interests of all stakeholders and viability of this important sector but would also encourage much needed investments in spectrum and roll out of data networks to fulfil the objective of digital India," Airtel stated.

The IB Ministry has said earlier that it would look into the issue as the company's decision seriously violates the net neutrality, an unspoken code of conduct which calls for all the data usage to be treated equally.

Bharti Airtel had to face serious media outcry across all social platforms in the past few days.

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Airtel To Charge For VoIP Calls; TRAI Head Says No Foul Play

India's largest telecom player Bharti Airtel has announced that it will charge for the VoIP calls made from its network. VoIP calls made through Skype, Whatsapp, WeChat, Viber, Line, or any such app will be billed separately and not from the customer's data pack.

The company has announced a VoIP specific data plan for the prepaid users. This plan will cost the customers Rs 75 for 75MB data that will allow them to make 200 minutes of VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) calls. 

According to the press statement issued by Airtel, the current VoIP model is not sustainable in the longer run in its current form hence the company has decided to charge for the same.

 “Our voice services that are enjoyed by every one of our customers provide us the capacity to continuously invest in and upgrade our networks on an ongoing basis. We, therefore, believe that VoIP services in their current form are not tenable for us as a business. As a result we will charge separately for VoIP services,” the statement says.

It should be noted that the customers who have purchased their data plans before December 24 will be allowed to use the VoIP services without being billed separately for the same. And when their recharge cycle ends, they will be forced to buy the plan or will have to pay according to the pay-as-you-go basis (4 paise per 10 KB).

On one hand the IB ministry has assured the customers that it will look into the issue, and on the other, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Rahul Khullar says the move made by the telecom giant is not illegal. But he agrees that the move certainly confronts the ‘net neutrality’, which calls for all data usages to be treated equally.

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