Telecom operators slash roaming tariffs

NEW DELHI: Three private cellular service providers - Airtel, Hutch and Idea - have announced a 33 percent cut in roaming airtime rates. This move came just a few hours after Union communications and IT minister Dayanidhi Maran asked the private cellular operators to reduce their roaming charges at the Cellular Summit 2005.






The new rates would be Rs.1.99 per minute against the current Rs three. While Airtel and Hutch will start charging as per new rates from May 1, Idea is yet to announce the date for implementing the reduced tariff.





"The reduction in roaming tariffs is Bharti's contribution towards the vision of `One India' and lower roaming tariffs, envisaged by Maran," said a Bharti statement. Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd offers cellular services in 23 circles under the Airtel brand name.





Announcing the new roaming tariffs, Bharti Tele-Ventures chairman and Group MD Sunil Mittal said, "This reduction in the roaming rate will expand the roaming community in India and help realize the vision of 200 million mobile subscribers by 2007."