'Ensure transparency on SMS 'blackout' days'

New Delhi, May 25: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked service providers to ensure transparency in charging of SMS on festival and customary days.

Presently telecom operators are offering free, discounted SMS schemes as either a part of regular tariff plans with or without an additional monthly payment or are offered as packs valid for specified period or as promotional schemes.

Some operators have reported to TRAI that such free, discounted SMS under various plans shall not be available to customers on certain festival and customary days.

TRAI has issued guidelines for these 'SMS blackout' days under which any operator implementing separate tariffs on blackout days has to ensure that the days on which free and concessional SMS are not available shall be clearly indicated in the package itself.

The SMS charges applicable on these special days shall be explicitly conveyed to the subscribers, states TRAI TRAI guidelines also added the dates corresponding to the blackout days shall not be altered after the pack is subscribed by the customer and there shall be no addition to the list of blackout days after the pack is subscribed by the customer.

UNI