Anti-Consumer Monopoly of BSNL and MTNL Over Toll-Free & Special-Access Phone Numbers

The number of toll-free helplines in India is growing day-by-day along with the flourishing call-centre industry. However, as you might have noticed, these toll-free phone-lines (or 1-600 helplines) can be accessed through the state-owned BSNL and MTNL phones only (To verify this, dial any 1-600 number from your non-BSNL/MTNL Fixed Wireless Phone or mobile phone). This is really a complete cartel in the Indian market, badly affecting the Indian consumers!

Just think about the growing community comprising of Indian people who have got their BSNL/MTNL landline phones disconnected because of its unattractive and feature-less, sarkari (bureaucratic) service. Instead, they now own landlines, CDMA or GSM phone connections (mobile or fixed wireless) from other telecom companies. These people cannot access the 1-600 toll-free phone-lines even in an emergency because of this phenomenon. Let’s take a case of the Microsoft India Helpline for technical support when a PC has been infected with a deadly computer virus. You will not be able to access it from a non-BSNL/MTNL number. Even India’s toll-free National Consumer Helpline (1600-11-4000) is not reachable from non-BSNL/MTNL phones!

Moreover, other special-access numbers and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) numbers (e.g. 125 011 1444) are also not accessible by a large number of people who use phone connections from private companies (i.e. other than BSNL and MTNL). Thus, they are unable to take part in special phone-based contests, or to use any other telecom offerings and IVR-based services on special-access numbers.

Further, many companies have to pay for two helpline numbers due to this prevailing condition: a 1-600 number (toll-free) from BSNL/MTNL, and a 3030 number (in which local call charges apply) from Reliance Infocomm. For example, HP India pays for helpline 1600 42 54 999 as well as 3030 4499 (info: http://welcome.hp.com/country/in/en/contact_us.html ). Some companies, like Nokia India, have totally abandoned 1 600 helplines because of this phenomenon (Nokia Careline #: 3030 3838; source: http://www.nokia.co.in/nokia/0,,45553,00.html ).

In addition, these toll-free numbers can only be issued by BSNL/MTNL and not by any private telecom operator such as Airtel, Tata Indicom, etc. On the contrary, in the US and other western nations, the toll-free numbers can be issued by any state-owned or private telecom company (also called Responsible Organizations or Resp Orgs; visit www.sms800.com to learn more) but are strictly under the control of their respective government authorities. Moreover, they can also issue the toll-free ‘vanity’ numbers, which spell out a company’s name but the same thing does not happen in India, e.g. 1-800-MICROSOFT (1-800-642-7676). You may kindly visit the following websites for more information:

* http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/tapd/toll_free/888faq.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll-free_phone_number
* www.gaebler.com/Toll-Free-Numbers.htm
* http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom

Sadly, TRAI has not taken any serious steps in this regard. It is not even paying enough attention towards this situation either. Thus, for how long will we endure this anti-competitive policy and monopoly of BSNL and MTNL? Don’t you think that the Telecom Ministry as well as the TRAI should take some serious steps in this regard for the benefit of the Indian consumers? Besides lowering the call-charges, if the government starts taking interest and starts giving enough attention towards these small but important issues too then with the passage of time it will prove to be of much benefit to the Indian Consumer as well as the Telecom Industry.

P.S.: If you wish to send your views to TRAI in this regard, please visit http://www.trai.gov.in/contacttry.htm or log on to the following links to contact the Telecom Ministry, Govt. of India and DOT (Department of Telecommunications):
* http://www.dmaran.nic.in/minister_office_form.htm
* http://www.dot.gov.in/pgcell.htm
* http://www.dot.gov.in/telephone_directory/whoiswho.htm