Coronavirus: Trai asks telecom companies to extend prepaid validity amid lockdown

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to extend the validity of prepaid users to ensure uninterrupted voice and data services amid national lockdown.

In a letter dated March 29 to telecom carriers, seen by ET, the sector regulator asked to take necessary steps as deemed fit including extending the validity period to ensure that all prepaid subscribers can enjoy uninterrupted services during the period of lockdown.

The telecom watchdog has also sought details of steps taken to ensure the availability of uninterrupted telecom services to such customers on a priority basis.

“Though the telecommunication services have been considered as essential services and thus granted an exception from closing down. However, lockdown may adversely affect the working of customer service centres/point of sale locations,” Trai in a notification said.

Prepaid users make up over 90% of the telcos’ over 800 million active customer base.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a 21-day lockdown starting Tuesday to prevent the community transmission of Coronavirus or Covid-19 that has infected nearly 1,000 people killing more than 20.

Under the shutdown, people are facing difficulties while thousands of daily-wage labourers with limited resources flocking to return to their hometowns.

Under present circumstances, the regulator said that it was quite possible that those subscribers who wish to top up their prepaid balances or wish to extend the subscription to a prepaid tariff using offline channels may face hardships and/or disruption of services.

Early this week the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a slew of measures including holding up of easy monthly installment (EMI) on term loans for three months to mitigate the impact of lockdown.

ET