Indian telecom market may move towards ‘virtual monopoly’: Vodafone Idea

Troubled Vodafone Idea has warned that the Indian telecom market may move towards a position of “virtual monopoly” if Trai does not intervene in tariff fixation, while Airtel has cited “huge existential and financial crisis” to bat for fixation of floor price for two years.

Jio has termed the fixation of floor price for data services as “vital” for the health of telecom sector, and urged Trai to continue the policy of forbearance for voice services, which it said is the preferred telecom service of the subscribers at the bottom of the pyramid.

Jio further said hike in floor price should be undertaken gradually and be fixed at Rs 15 per GB for now — against the prevailing Rs 9 to 12 per GB — and taken to Rs 20 per GB after six to nine months depending on the data consumption growth.