TRAI to issue direction to Aircel to maintain service quality; to grant codes for port outs

New Delhi: Telecom regulator TRAI will soon issue direction to troubled Aircel to keep service quality in check through intra circle roaming pacts, and grant it additional time and porting codes to enable its customers opt out to other networks.

TRAI sources told PTI that the company wrote to the regulator late last week saying it is undergoing "deep financial stress" and the recent reports that it may file for bankruptcy have created a "chaotic situation" with its subscribers, distributors and retailers and partners, with whom the company has had a long standing relationship.

Aircel has approached the regulator for extending the validity of additional port out codes to enable subscribers to move on to other networks without changing their number under mobile number portability.

The TRAI is expected to issue suitable direction in the matter shortly asking the company to ensure service quality by improving network and working out roaming pacts -- counter measures that have been mentioned by Aircel in its letter.

To ensure subscriber convenience, TRAI is also likely to grant additional port out codes to Aircel with extended validity of 45 days instead of 15 days, which is the norm. Aircel did not respond to an email query on the issue.

In its letter to TRAI last week, the company said it has been severely impacted by a major infrastructure provider shutting off as much as a third of its total sites in different circles or telecom service areas across the country.

"As an emergency measure, we are working out intra circle roaming arrangements with other telecom service providers to help our subscribers remain connected (keeping the criticality of mobile connectivity which is linked to a host of other essential services) and also that they may opt for porting if they choose to...," Aircel said.