Waive processing charge on top-up cards: TRAI

New Delhi, Sept 1 (UNI) Prepaid mobile users now have more reasons to celebrate with the TRAI asking the operators to waive the processing charge on the top-up cards, which will give the end user full talk time on such recharges.

The user will now have to pay just an administrative fee, which is not to exceed Rs two per recharge and other applicable taxes, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in a statement.

It has been brought to notice that telcos are deducting a fixed amount even for 'top ups', which are exclusively meant for providing talk time to subscribers who already have validity, it added.

A customer getting such a recharge has already obtained validity by paying a fixed fee and the levy of a second processing fee at the time of buying talk time through top-ups is unjustified, TRAI said.

The move comes as one among many initiates taken by the regulator to make telecom services more consumer friendly and transparent.

TRAI also asked the operators to make the tariff-related information available in regional languages at all the retail outlets of the service providers and retail outlets of their franchisees.

This assumes significance as operators roll out services to areas outside the metros and in semi-urban areas.

Existing users of lifetime incoming plans can now migrate to new lifetime plans with lower entry fee without having to make additional payment, TRAI said.

UNI SR MP AS1751