Mumbai: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT<\/a>) has stayed the sector regulator’s orders which allowed subscribers to port out of their network from their service provider irrespective of their tariff plans. The appellate was hearing the Vodafone Idea<\/a>’s (Vi) appeal against the regulator’s order.
“The issue noted … requires consideration. But till decision on the issue raised, respondent shall not take any precitipate action against the appellant,\" TDSAT said on Friday. The matter has been listed on February 22.
According to sources TDSAT may move Delhi High Court against TDSAT’s order.
Vi (the appellant) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India clashed when the latter on December 7 had ordered telcos to allow subscribers to be able to port out to another telecom operator, irrespective of their prepaid or postpaid tariff plans. Vi went to appellate tribunal against the regulator’s order.
Earlier, Reliance Jio Infocomm<\/a> had alleged that Vi and Bharti Airtel<\/a> tariff plans, disallowed consumers below a certain pricing threshold from putting out.
Jio had said that as per Vi’s new tariff plans for prepaid consumers, SMS services had been moved to a higher tariff plan of Rs 179 – from Rs149 - which would discourage subscribers from porting out to other service providers
“TRAI had issued direction in view of various complaints from subscribers that they are not able to send SMS or Short Code 1900 necessary for UPC generation for awaiting MNP<\/a> facility even when there is sufficient balance in the concerned prepaid accounts,” observed TDSAT.
Mobile number portability (MNP) requires subscribers to first send an SMS to their service operator. Upon the MNP request’s approval, a further process is initiated which may take three to five days for the user to move to a rival telco, while retaining the same number.
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