Long-distance calls cheaper from today

Service providers Reliance Infocomm and Idea Cellular are yet to announce new tariffs factoring in the lower access deficit charge that would come into effect from midnight.

While announcing the ADC cut, the Trai had asked all operators to pass on the benefits to the consumers.

A Reliance spokesperson said they would announce the new long-distance tariffs on Tuesday as they were awaiting the outcome of the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal's hearing on the MTNL petition challenging the Trai decision.

Idea executives said that the company would also announce the new tariff on Tuesday and it would be implemented from February 4.

There will, however, be no tariff reduction by the state-owned companies - Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.

When contacted, BSNL and MTNL executives said the reduced tariffs offered by the private operators were still higher the current rates offered by them.

"Despite the reduction, our ISD tariffs are still 50 cheaper than those offered by private operators," said a BSNL executive.

Trai officials said the regulator had not fixed any timeframe for the operators to cut tariffs. "The market forces would take care of the situation," an official said.

But cheaper long-distance tariffs await Airtel and Hutch users, which have already announced a 35 paise reduction in STD tariffs and a Rs 1.75 cut in ISD call charges.

The regulator had reduced the ADC on STD calls from from 80 paise a minute to 30 paise a minute for calls made over 200 km and from 50 paise a minute to 30 paise a minute for calls made between 50 km and 200 km.

For international long distance calls, the charges were reduced to Rs 2.50 for outgoing and Rs 3.25 for incoming from the existing flat rate of Rs 4.25. Local call tariffs will remain unchanged.

All major private operators in the country have stated that the full benefit of the ADC cut would be passed on to their subscribers.

Under the new rates, a call from Delhi to Chennai which costs an average Rs 2.40 per minute will now amount to Rs 2, while the average rate for a call to the US will come down to Rs 14 from Rs 16 at present.