There’s a good news for Reliance Jio users this new year. Starting today, January 1, 2021, Jio users will not be charged for outgoing voice calls to other networks. Till last night, December 31, 2020, all Jio calls to any other network including Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, BSNL and others were charged. Outgoing calls from Jio to Jio number were completely free of cost.
On Thursday, telecom major Reliance Jio announced to wave off interconnect usage charges (IUC) for all domestic voice calls. “As per directions of the Hon’ble Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (“TRAI”), Bill and Keep regime is being implemented in the country from 1st January 2021, thereby ending interconnect usage charges (IUC) for all domestic voice calls,” Reliance Jio noted in an official press release.
To recollect, in September 2019, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) extended the timeline for implementation of IUC on mobile-to-mobile calls beyond January 1, 2020. Following this, Reliance Jio started charging its users for off-net voice calls. In simple words, all Jio calls to any other network were charged.
While Jio started charging for voice calls, competitors like Airtel and Vodafone-Idea continued to offer free outgoing voice calls to other networks. The latest move by Reliance Jio is probably to take on the likes of its competition and garner more and more users onboard.
In an official press note the telecom operator said, “Honouring its commitment to revert off-net domestic voice-call charges to zero, as soon as IUC charges are abolished, Jio will once again make all off-net domestic voice calls free, starting 1st January 2021. On-net domestic voice calls have always been free on the Jio network.”
