The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) denied the false rumors that it will charge customers for having multiple SIM cards. TRAI stated on social media X (formerly Twitter) that these claims are meant to mislead people.
“The idea that TRAI plans to charge customers for having multiple SIMs or numbering resources is completely false. These claims are baseless and only aim to mislead the public,” the regulator said.
This clarification followed reports from some media outlets suggesting that TRAI might propose a new rule for using multiple SIM cards. According to these reports, telecom users might have to pay extra money due to a proposal by TRAI.
It was alleged that TRAI wants to impose a separate charge for using multiple phone or landline numbers. The reports claimed that the regulator would first charge telecom operators and then pass the cost to users.
“We have noticed that some media houses (print, electronic, and social media) have reported that TRAI has proposed fees for mobile and landline numbers to ensure efficient allocation and use of these ‘finite resources’.
The idea that TRAI plans to charge customers for having multiple SIMs or numbering resources is completely false. These claims are baseless and only aim to mislead the public,” TRAI said in a notification issued on June 14.
The authority released a consultation paper on ‘Revision of National Numbering Plan’ on June 6, 2024, and has asked for comments from stakeholders by July 4, 2024.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is a regulatory body established by the Government of India under section 3 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. It regulates the telecommunications sector in India.
