Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

TRAI to bring down mobile number portability charges to Rs 4

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is on a roll at the moment.

After reducing the Interconnect Call Charges earlier this year, the regulator on Monday started a consultation process on bringing down the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) charges.


In the consultation paper, Trai said that it’s looking to bring down the MNP charges from Rs 19 to Rs 4.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in a statement said that considering the upsurge in the volume of porting requests with effect from July 3, 2015, and the financial results of both the mobile number portability service providers (MNPSPs), the present ceiling of Rs 19 is quite high as compared to cost and volumes of transaction involved.

Trai has sought comments on the same from the public by December 27, 2017. “The Authority has, therefore, decided that the upper ceiling for per port transaction charge may be reduced as the costs of operations of MNPSPs have substantially gone down,” Trai said in the statement.

“The watchdog in the draft amendment of the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Per Port Transaction Charge and Dipping Charge Regulations has proposed that “the Per Port Transaction charge shall be rupees four,” added the report.

The MNP charge is something that is paid by the customer as a porting charge to port the number from one mobile operator to another. And this is currently set to Rs 19. Trai is looking to bring it down to as low as Rs 4.

It has been more than eight years since Trai changed the MNP charge of Rs 19. Back in November 2009, Trai implemented this MNP charge, which needs to be paid by the customer. Finally, the regulator is looking to reduce the charges.

More For You

Anil Agarwal

Vedanta Resources, which is based in the UK and owned by Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal, has been working on reducing its debt. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Resources signs £438 million refinancing deal

VEDANTA LTD said on Thursday that its parent company, Vedanta Resources, has signed a loan facility agreement worth up to £438 million with international banks to refinance existing debt.

The refinancing move, where old loans are replaced by new ones, often at better terms like lower interest rates, has led ratings agencies such as S&P Global Ratings and Moody's to upgrade their outlook on the company this year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump-Getty

Trump said that while deals are being made with some countries, others may face tariffs.

Getty Images

Trump says major trade deal with India may be finalised soon

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Friday said a "very big" trade deal could be finalised with India, suggesting significant movement in the ongoing negotiations between the two countries.

“We are having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one. Where we're going to open up India," Trump said at the “Big Beautiful Bill” event at the White House.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asda suffers nearly £600m loss as debt and IT costs surge

Asda co-ownerMohsin Issa. (Photo: Asda)

Asda suffers nearly £600m loss as debt and IT costs surge

ASDA, one of Britain’s largest supermarkets, has reported a pre-tax loss of £599 million for 2024, swinging sharply from a £180 million profit the previous year.

The loss comes despite total sales rising by over £1 billion to £26.8bn, as the retailer faces mounting debt costs, falling sales, and spiralling spending on a major IT overhaul, the Telegraph reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mounjaro

Mounjaro, or tirzepatide, is part of a new class of weight-loss medications, with trials showing patients losing an average of 20 per cent of their body weight after 72 weeks.

Reuters

Lilly to sell Mounjaro pens in India as Wegovy enters market

ELI LILLY said on Thursday that it has received approval from India's drug regulator to launch pre-filled injector pens of its weight-loss drug, Mounjaro.

The move gives the company more options to compete with Novo Nordisk, which recently launched its weight-loss drug Wegovy in the country.

Keep ReadingShow less
Grant Thornton's Anuj Chande urges UK firms to tap booming India

Anuj Chande

Grant Thornton's Anuj Chande urges UK firms to tap booming India

INDIAN companies are well placed to support the UK’s economic growth, Eastern Eye has been told by Anuj Chande, partner and head of the South Asia Business Group at Grant Thornton.

He was speaking after the publication of Grant Thornton’s India Meets Britain Tracker 2025: The latest trends in Indian investment in the UK, which was released last week. While companies in India need little encouragement to enter the UK market, the reverse is not true.

Keep ReadingShow less