India telecoms oppose uniform call rates

NEW DELHI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Telecom service providers have come out against the Indian government's plan to standardize telephone call rates nationwide.

Cellular and basic service operators have told the Department of Telecom that such steps toward uniformity in local and long-distance charges could result in higher prices for consumers, the Hindu Business Times reported last week.

The Association of Unified Services Providers of India urged the government to instead take steps to reduce costs to the telecom companies, which the organization argued would lead to lower rates for consumers.

The Times said the opposition apparently caught the telecom regulators by surprise and sidetracked the planned rate changes.