TRAI seeks public view for paper telephone bill

The telecom industry watchdog TRAI on Friday sought the public views on making paper bills for post-paid telecom services optional and setting electronic bills as a default option.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( TRAI) said it has received representations from the telecom service providers requesting a review of the provision of the Telecom Tariff order which mandates provision of hard copy of the bill or the printed copy of the bill to post-paid subscribers and removal of the mandate of providing hard copy of the bill with Mobile Bill (M-Bill) or E-Bill as the default option.

"Is there a need to change the extent default option, i.e., provision of paper bill without any charge to postpaid subscribers of wireline and mobile services?" and "should e-bill now be made the default option?" Trai has asked in its consultation paper.

Environmental concerns relating to cutting of trees for papers used in the printing of bills and changing mobile usage scenario as the main rationale to this demand, the regulator said in its consultation paper.

The last date for public comments on the paper is December 10 and for counter comments is December 24, 2018.