In the future, you might have to pay for using your mobile number in addition to the usual recharge costs. This is especially true for numbers that you have but use very little or not at all.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed this plan. The charge could be a lump sum or an annual fee.
TRAI plans to collect this fee from mobile operators for both mobile and landline numbers. If this rule is implemented, the operators will likely pass this cost on to consumers.
Mobile Numbers as a Public Resource
TRAI believes that mobile numbers are a public resource and should be used in the public interest. There is a significant shortage of mobile numbers in the country.
According to current rules, if a SIM card is not recharged for a long time, it should be blacklisted.
However, mobile operators often avoid doing this to maintain their user base. To address this, TRAI now plans to fine operators who do not blacklist inactive numbers.
Currently, about 21.9 crore mobile numbers in India are unused, which is approximately 19% of all issued numbers. Many users have two SIM cards, using one actively while the other remains mostly inactive.
Government’s Role and International Practices
The government controls mobile number spacing and issues mobile number series to operators.
Due to the limited availability of numbers, they should be used wisely. TRAI is now considering imposing charges on mobile numbers to encourage more efficient use.
In several other countries, telecom companies already charge consumers for mobile numbers.
These countries include Australia, Singapore, Belgium, Finland, the UK, Lithuania, Greece, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Nigeria, South Africa, and Denmark.
