U-Turns on BAK

Revised Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) order is nothing but a u-turn by Rahul Khullar, chairman, Trai, which is aimed at providing gross benefit to the troika – Bharti Airtel, Vodafone & Idea – while harming the interest of BSNL & MTNL. This could be his departing gift to them before he retires in May this year. Unfortunately, even Anupam Shrivastava, BSNL CMD, after initially opposing the BAK formula in writing, has now welcomed it.

In an affidavit filed by Trai on October 31, 2011 (IA No. 12-22 of 2011 in Civil Appeal No. 271-281 of 2011) in the Supreme Court, Trai had affirmed that in 2013 the Termination Charges (TC) for ‘calls’ will be reduced from 20 paisa to 10 paisa per minute, which will be further reduced to ‘0’ paisa from 2014 onwards, thus leading to Bill And Keep (BAK) mode.