Airtel, Idea increase call rates, Vodafone may follow

News Wireless India 23 JAN 2013
Airtel, Idea increase call rates, Vodafone may follow
Indian mobile operators Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular have increased their call tariff rates by nearly 100 percent, reports The Economic Times. Airtel has doubled the call rates from INR 1 per minute to INR 2 per minute. Idea has also gone for a steep hike from INR 0.012 per second to INR 0.020 per second. Airtel said that the hike was inevitable and is in line with increasing costs. 

A source with direct knowledge separately told Reuters that Airtel is reducing free minutes by up to a quarter and has increased prices of some call vouchers for prepaid customers by INR 5-15. The call price increase will be extended to all of the 22 telecommunications zones in a phased manner, the source said, declining to be named. The plan to increase call rates has been submitted to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which could intervene over the price increases. 

Vodafone India said in a statement that it welcomed the "price rationalization" by its competitors, given the rising input costs for operator. It said it's studying price changes across all its operating circles and it "was inclined to follow to maintain consistency and competitive position".  

Categories:

Mobile

Companies:

Bharti Airtel,  TRAI,  Idea Cellular,  Vodafone India

Countries:

India

Tags:

Voice services, Wholesale, Pricing

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