Vodafone slashes national roaming rates by up to 75%

For example, a local text message while roaming will cost only 25 paise as compared to Re 1

Vodafone India has slashed its national roaming rates by up to 75% with effect from May 1, days after telecom regulator TRAI reduced the ceiling tariffs. Other operators are also expected to follow suit.

For a local text message while on roaming, users will pay 25 paise as compared to Re 1 and for STD texts, 38 paise from Rs 1.50 earlier in accordance with TRAI guidelines, according to a company statement.

Vodafone India customers will pay 45 paise/minute instead of the earlier 75 paise/minute for receiving calls outside their home network, a reduction of 40%. Similarly, outgoing local and STD calls will be charged at 80 paise and Rs 1.15 paise per minute as compared to Re 1 and Rs 1.50, respectively.

It has also introduced special roaming tariff plans for its prepaid and postpaid customers.

Currently, Vodafone India offers incoming free packs for prepaid and postpaid customers, under which incoming voice calls on national roaming are free on payment of fixed charge, which has also been revised.

Earlier this month, TRAI reduced ceiling rate that a telecom operator can charge for STD calls on roaming to Rs 1.15 per minute from Rs 1.50. Similarly, national SMS rate has been reduced to 38 paise from Rs 1.5 per SMS. A telecom operator can charge a maximum of 25 paise only for a local SMS instead of the current Re 1 per SMS.