Private telcos reject global tech companies call to define ‘international traffic’

Private telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have rejected the call to define international traffic, saying the current mechanism is working fine, a stance which pits them against global technology-driven firms operating in India such as Amazon and Truecaller who have sought a clear definition.

At a discussion organised by the telecom regulator on Thursday, the telcos said instead of defining international traffic, there should be a mechanism to check the grey market, wherein telemarketers working for international firms disguise international traffic as domestic, thus leading to forex loss of $400-500 million annually.