Telecom regulator Trai is believed to have issued show-cause notices to Airtel, Vodafone and Idea for not signing agreements with companies interested in providing international calling card services directly to consumers that could reduce ISD rates by up to 80 per cent.
"Show-cause notice (in the matter) has been issued to Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular on Tuesday," an official source told the news agency. There was no immediate reply to queries sent to Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular on the matter.
Trai issued a regulation in August 2014 on international calling card service that has potential to reduce ISD call rates by up to 80 per cent if International long Distance (IlD) operators who facilitate ISD service are allowed to directly offer their service to consumers. As companies having only IlD service licence don't have direct access to customers, they are required to go through telecom service providers.