Big news is coming for mobile phone users after the elections. Your phone operator, the company running your phone service, might soon charge you for your smartphone and landline numbers.
If the proposal by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is implemented, this system will be in place soon.
TRAI believes that phone numbers are a “very valuable public resource which is not unlimited” and suggests that charges be levied on mobile operators, who can then recover these costs from users.
Ensuring Proper Use of Phone Numbers
TRAI is also planning to impose penalties on companies that keep underused phone numbers.
For example, if a person has two SIM cards and only uses one, the company might be reluctant to block the unused number, fearing the customer might leave.
Stricter rules do not necessarily ensure that telecom companies will use the allocated phone numbers properly.
Government Ownership and Charging Methods
Like the spectrum, phone numbers are also owned by the government. To ensure that limited government resources are used properly, charges can be imposed when allocating them. Additionally, penalties can be imposed on companies that hoard underused numbers.
According to TRAI, this method is already in place in many countries, including Australia, Singapore, Belgium, Finland, Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Nigeria, South Africa, and Denmark.
Methods of Collecting Charges
TRAI has outlined three methods for collecting these charges. First, a one-time charge for each phone number. Second, an annual fee for all numbers given to telecom companies. Third, an auction process for special and easy-to-remember numbers.
This new system aims to ensure that phone numbers, as a limited resource, are utilized efficiently and fairly.
