NEW DELHI: In a rude shock to their subscribers in Delhi, Bharti Airtel and Hutch (now Vodafone Essar) have quietly raised local SMS charges for all users from Re 1 per message to Rs 1.20.
The new tariffs - which came into effect on Monday - also mean higher cost for local calls within your own network with charges raised from Re 1 a minute to Rs 1.20. The rates would, however, vary for each plan.
With STD rates having been raised two weeks ago, the operators have increased tariffs across the board without most consumers noticing the hike yet.
Unfortunately, telecom regulator Trai is unlikely to raise an eyebrow as local call, STD and SMS tariffs are ‘under forbearance' - the regulator does not intervene in these. "History has proved that forbearance is the best policy to follow," said Trai chairman Nripendra Misra.
It is felt that other GSM operators may also announce similar hikes. However, there is a hint that CDMA operators may choose to retain their tariffs. For harassed customers, the only option could be switching to more consumer-friendly operators. But this becomes inconvenient as users like to retain their unique numbers.
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