Airtel, Vi to Disclose Special Offers to TRAI: Supreme Court

Nov. 7, 2020

The Supreme Court on Friday orderedAirtelandVi(Vodafone Idea) toreveal segmented tariff offers to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI). Segmented tariffs are offers given to a limited number of customers in an attempt to enhance user retention.

Segmented tariffs are currently not disclosed to TRAI and the latest move is to ‘ensure adherence to the regulatory principles of transparency, non­discrimination, and non­-predation’. TRAI further said that telecom service providers are under a ‘statutory obligation to offer tariffs in a transparent and non­discriminatory manner and to report all tariffs to the authority.’

Airtel and Vi have long claimed that segmented tariffs are ‘confidentially designed trade practices’ and revealing them will allow competing operators to strategically gain their subscribers. To prevent this from happening, thecourt ordered TRAI to keep such details confidential. As a result, theruling doesn’t stop companies from offering segmented offersgoing forward.

“The I.A. is allowed and a direction is issued to the respondents to disclose information/details sought by the applicant/appellant regarding segmented offers. But it is the duty and responsibility of TRAI to ensure that such information is kept confidential and is not made available to the competitors or to any other person,”said the court.

Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.