Trai gets Web-wise, plans site for cell users

Indranil Chakraborty in Kolkata

Are you a first time mobile user looking for a best tariff scheme or want to shift from an existing package to an optimal one? Don’t know from where to start and how to find the hidden cost? Feeling frustrated? Not any more. The Indian telecom regulator, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will guide you to unearth the mysteries of tariff plans to suite your needs.

Trai has decided to set up a website for the mobile consumers in collaboration with various consumer groups working in the telecom segment.

According to a senior Trai official who is closely involved with the plan, the website will have various tariff packages provided by all the cellular operators in the country and, through a statistical software, will suggest the best package suitable for a consumer given the income and budget constraint.

“We will involve various consumer groups who will help us in setting up the website. The consumer groups will give us inputs on the kind of problems faced by a consumer while choosing a tariff plan,” said the official.

Trai has started talking to a donor agency who will provide necessary funds for the execution of the whole project.

In countries like Denmark, the regulator has taken a proactive role to guide the customers in choosing the best mobile tariff plan. Trai wants to follow the example, and give customers a relief from getting confused.

“The idea is to demystify the packages and help consumers choose the best solution. Our experience suggests that consumers sometimes don’t feel comfortable while dealing with a large number of tariff plans offered by each of the operators. We want to make things easier for consumers,” said the official.

Trai is alreay working with various consumer groups across the country in its effort to make the operators more accountable to the needs of the consumers.

“We are involving consumer groups to find out the subjective feelings of the consumers about their operators in areas like customer care, quality of service and transparent tariff policy,” said the official.
However, he did not specify a date for the launch of the site.

“Unlike in a country like Denmark, in India, the number of operators and packages available are too many. So it will take some time before we are in a position to launch the website,” said the official.