TRAI cautions customers against bill shocks while joining online conferencing platforms

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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on May 11 issued an advisory warning customers against inadvertently dialling international numbers while joining online conferencing platforms. The regulatory body noted that there have been reports of customers having experienced bill shocks in some cases.

Due to the ongoing lockdown in light of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, several users have taken to online conferencing platforms for work as well as for personal use. Keeping this in view, TRAI has cautioned customers to carefully check the terms and conditions before using the dial-in service provided by online conferencing platforms. It said the cost applicable for contacting the customer care centres of such platforms in terms of tariffs for voice calls and other charges may also be applied by the service providers accordingly.

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"Thus, all the members of public are advised to exercise full caution and make themselves aware of the details of terms and conditions of using the online conferencing services, particularly nature of numbers to which voice calls have to be made for joining the online conference and/or contacting customer support and details of tariff applicable for each of such services," TRAI said in the advisory.

People who use such services may hence have to pay higher rates applicable to premium or international numbers, meaning that ISD tariff rates would be applicable in such cases. The telecom regulatory body has specified that lapses in this regard may lead to bills shocks.

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