Reliance Jio Infocomm is making off-net domestic voice calls free from January 1, as interconnect usage charges (IUC) on such services is ending. On-net domestic voice calls have always been free on the Jio network.
This is as per directions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Bill and Keep regime being implemented in the country from January 1, 2021, thereby ending IUC for all domestic voice calls.
Over the last one year or so, Reliance Jio was charging customers 6 paise per minute for voice calls made to rival phone networks, but compensated subscribers by giving free data of equal value.
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Company has delivered on promise: Jio
As a background, it can be recalled that in September 2019, when TRAI extended the timeline for implementation of the Bill & Keep regime beyond January 1 2020, Jio had to start charging its customers for off-net voice calls, at a rate exactly equivalent to the applicable IUC charge.
While doing so, Jio had assured its users that this charge would continue only till the time TRAI abolished IUC charges.
"Today, Jio has delivered on that promise and made off-net voice calls free again," the company said in a press release.
Jio added that it stands firm on its commitment to make the common Indian the beneficiary of advanced technologies like VoLTE.
Reliance Jio added overall 2.22 million new mobile customers, taking its total subscriber base to 406.3 million during October. In the wireline segment, Reliance Jio added the most subscribers at 2,45,912.
