Free ring tones? Airtel, Idea, Hutch get notices

The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) has issued notices to Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Hutchison on a complaint over downloading of ring tones.

Taking cognisance of an advertisement claiming to provide free download of ring tones, MRTPC issued notice of enquiry against Airtel, Idea, Hutchison Essar Mobile Services and Hutchison Essar South. The commission also issued a notice to Bangalore-based telecom value added solution provider Onmobile Asia Pacific.

The bench, headed by chairman Justice O P Dwivedi , has directed the telecom operators and Onmobile, along with media house Jagran Prakashan, which published the advertisement, to file replies within four weeks.

The commission issued the notice after its investigative arm, Director General of Investigation and Registration (DGIR), in its preliminary investigation report (PIR) found that the operators, Jagran and Onmobile were using "unfair trade practices."

MRTPC had directed DGIR to look into the issue after it received a complaint from one Mohinder Singh Arya who had alleged these companies were charging money despite claiming downloading free tones. He also submitted a copy of an advertisement published in Hindi daily Dainik Jagran in which downloading was claimed as absolutely free.

According to Arya, when he downloaded a tone from his cell phone, it cost him around Rs 25 per minute. Later, he found the telecom company was charging for downloads. The fee was written in small fonts in the advertisement, he added.

DGIR said in its report that all the companies were indulging in unfair trade practices and causing losses to subscribers.