TNI Bureau: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a directive to the telecom companies asking the De-activation of the international calling facility, ISD of their prepaid customers.

“Inform all prepaid subscribers having ISD facility, through SMS, within 10 days of the date of issue of this direction, that ISD facility of the subscribers shall be discontinued after sixty days,” provides the directive.

Further, if such subscribers want to continue with ISD facility, they should give their explicit consent for availing such facility within 60 days of the receipt of the SMS – the directive also explains.

Following the complaints from consumers about missed calls from international telephone numbers which are often premium numbers charging high tariff, in the case that consumers call back to these numbers, TRAI has taken such step.

TRAI has also asked telecom operators to inform subscribers through SMS, within 10 days of issue of the directive that prepaid cellular mobile telephone service consumers need not respond to all missed calls from unknown international numbers or calls about winning prizes or lottery. The authority has also directed to send such SMS to consumers every six months and provide easy and transparent opt-in and opt-out facilities of the cellular mobile telephone service for activation or deactivation of ISD facility.