TRAI Chairman: Telecom Tariffs Are Decided by Operators, Not Regulator

TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said telecom tariffs in India remain under a forbearance regime and are set by operators. The regulator will intervene only when necessary, while the mandate for voice- and SMS-only plans is already in force and must be complied with.

• Tariffs in India are determined by operators under forbearance
• TRAI won't act on reports of a 10-15% tariff hike
• The requirement for data-free plans is already part of regulations
• Operators have not yet responded to TRAI on voice- and SMS-only plans