RJio files complaint against Airtel, Vodafone, Idea for violating licensing norms

The uproar in the telecom industry continues.

While Reliance Jio's unprecedented entry and growth in the Indian telecom landscape has surprised many, the incumbent operators are trying everything they can (quite literally)  to stand the battleground by launching multiple luring offers. Not just this, these companies are also using “unfair and deceptive” means to retain customers who wish to port over to Jio, claims Mukesh Ambani's company.

Reliance Jio has complained to TRAI against rivals Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular for using unfair and deceptive methods to retain customers willing to port out of their networks. Jio has also suggested that TRAI take "strongest action" with "highest penalty" against these telcos for violating licence norms, telecom tariff orders, and mobile number portability (MNP) guidelines.

Reliance Jio claims incumbent operators are offering prepaid recharges, postpaid plans, discounts in the value of special tariff vouchers, and postpaid bill amounts to make sure customers do not port to Reliance Jio network.

The company has also submitted call centre recordings which as per Jio, "reveal a vicious campaign underway to defame and vilify the services being offered by Reliance Jio."

Jio also alleges that these offers are being made "surreptitiously" on a one-to-one basis, which is not available to general public. Nor are the companies openly publicising such offers on their website as stipulated, it said.

"At the outset, we submit that so far as these MNP offers are concerned, these are in gross violation of extant telecom laws including Telecom Tariff Order, 1999," Jio said in the letter to TRAI.

Vodafone and Airtel have denied the allegations. A Vodafone spokesperson said, "Vodafone's commitment to its hundreds of million customers is to always provide super value and experience across product, service and network."

"As customer needs are diverse, the company offers them exciting and engaging propositions catering to their myriad requirements, in accordance with applicable norms, regulations and industry best practices," the spokesperson further added.

TRAI is reportedly looking into the matter and is expected to resolve the case soon.