India’s Largest Wireless Carrier, Airtel has announced a Special Pack for its Customers in Delhi circle where in they can recharge for Rs 21 and avail Free Roaming and Home Plan Benefits [Incoming, Outgoing and SMS] while they are in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jarkhand and West Bengal (Excludes Kolkata). It is not just Airtel but even Vodafone and Idea Cellular should be able to match or announce similar offers in the next few days as these companies together control 68% of the Indian Wireless Revenue Market and can comfortable do so.
This is an excellent news as the TRAI Consultation Paper is in its final stages of recommendations. I had also written to the TRAI in its per-consultation paper on National Roaming as under,
For National Operator having Spectrum in all circles, On-Net Incoming Calls in Roaming Area must be made Free with immediate effect as the Operator does not bear any interconnect fees and should be made to treat his roaming customers at par with local home area customers
TRAI considered my suggestion and acknowledged it [PDF] in the consultation paper in section 2.11 on page 21.
I had also recommended [PDF] to extend complete Home Plan benefits for SMS and Creation of Zones for Roaming before going nation Wide Free Roaming. Airtel seems to have borrowed from my idea [ in reality, the Analytics Team Works with the Billing and Suggests the Most Optimal Plan] and has thus announced the above Free Roaming plan.
Nationwide Free Roaming may not happen very soon but maybe in the second half of 2013 as Lawyer turned Union Minister, Kapil Sibal would want to take credit for the lousy job he has performed in the last 2 years ahead of elections in early 2014.