Recently, reports emerged claiming that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) might impose fines on users who have two SIM cards in one phone. News24 published an article suggesting that TRAI’s new regulations could lead to charges for dual SIM users, causing a significant stir on social media. The controversy centered on allegations that users would be fined either as a one-time payment or annually, with mobile operators potentially recovering these charges from customers.
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However, this interpretation is misleading. TRAI’s actual proposal focuses on addressing the issue of inactive SIM cards, which number over 219 million according to their data. TRAI suggested imposing fees for inactive SIMs to encourage operators to surrender unused numbers, not to penalize users directly.
Further confusion arose from a similar report by Navbharat Times, which echoed the claim that dual SIM users might face charges. This report was based on a hypothetical example from an Economic Times article, which discussed potential penalties for operators holding on to underutilized number resources. The phrase “For instance” used in ET’s report was misinterpreted, leading to the false dual SIM charge theory.
Upon examining TRAI’s Consultation Paper on the Revision of the National Numbering Plan, released on June 7, 2024, it becomes clear that the focus is on the efficient allocation and use of telecommunication identifiers (TI resources), including phone numbers. The paper discusses the scarcity of these resources and proposes measures like one-time or annual charges for inactive numbers allocated to service providers, not end users.
The proposal includes financial disincentives for telecom service providers (TSPs) holding a significant percentage of unused TI resources, encouraging them to either reuse or surrender these numbers. There is no mention of charging users for having dual SIMs in their phones.
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति संख्या 27/2024 – राष्ट्रीय नंबरिंग योजना के संशोधन पर परामर्श पत्र के संबंध में ।
Press Release No. 27/2024 regarding Consultation Paper on Revision of National Numbering Plan.https://t.co/AQC11neBSr
— TRAI (@TRAI) June 7, 2024
Key Points from TRAI’s Consultation Paper:
Telecommunication Identifiers (TIs): TRAI discussed the scarcity and allocation of TIs, proposing charges for inactive numbers to ensure efficient usage.
- Inactive Numbers: The proposal aims to penalize TSPs for holding unused numbers, potentially passing the cost to users, but not specifically targeting dual SIM users.
- Vanity Numbers: High-demand “vanity/fancy/premium” numbers might be auctioned, while regular numbering series could be allocated without cost.
- Hypothetical Scenario: The Economic Times mentioned a hypothetical situation about dual SIMs, which was misinterpreted by other media outlets as a concrete proposal.
Conclusion
The reports by News24 and Navbharat Times are based on a misinterpretation of TRAI’s proposals. TRAI’s document does not mention any plans to charge users for having dual SIMs. The focus is on improving the management of TI resources by imposing charges on inactive numbers allocated to service providers. This is still a consultation paper seeking stakeholder feedback and is not final regulation.
Verdict: The claims about TRAI charging for dual SIM usage are misleading and based on hypothetical scenarios, not actual proposals in TRAI’s consultation paper.
