The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has stayed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) orders which allowed subscribers to port out of their service provider’s network irrespective of their tariff plans.
The decision was taken when the TDSAT was hearing Vodafone Idea Limited’s (Vi) appeal against the regulator’s order. TDSAT has raised considerations to the issue. TDSAT urged that respondent shall not take any precipitate action against the appellant unless any decision is made regarding the same.
The matter has been listed on February 22, 2022. According to sources, TDSAT may move Delhi High Court against the TRAI’s order.
Earlier, Vi filed an appeal against TRAI when on December 7, 2021, the regulator had ordered telcos to allow subscribers to port out to another telecom operator, irrespective of their prepaid or post-paid tariff plans.
Further, Reliance Jio had alleged that Vi and Bharti Airtel’s tariff plans abstained consumers below a certain pricing threshold from porting out as the new tariff plan announced by the two operators did not have SMS service in its low end plans. The new tariff regime of the two operator was seen as an attempt to abstain consumers from porting out.
