The operators have been told to refund the amount due to the subscribers for both through fixed and variable charges - rentals and air time charges paid by the standard tariff subscribers and airtime charge for other subscribers.

The initial refund from August 1999 to October 1999, for standard tariff subscribers works out to Rs 178.00 per month on account of rentals and Rs 1.35 per minute on account of air time charges in metros and circles. From November 1999 to January 2000, the monthly rental refund works out to Rs 53 per month for metro subscribers and Rs 78 per month in circles. The airtime usage refund remains Rs 1.35 per minute in both metros and circles for this period.

From November, 1999 onwards, refunds for these subscribers take account of the amounts already refunded or the reduction in tariffs implemented from February 2000 onwards. Post license fee reduction, the rentals and air time charges on the basis of costs recognised in Telecommunication Tariff Order 1999 work out to Rs 422.00 per month for rentals and Rs 4.65 per minute for air time charge.

In respect of subscribers of various alternative packages offered by the different service providers, the amounts of refunds which have been calculated in relation to the per minute charge of airtime used vary from 3.66 per minute to Rs 0.02 per minute. For pre-paid tariff subscribers, these refunds vary from Rs 3.61 per minute to Rs 0.06 per minute. In cases where the average tariffs have been lowered by as much as estimated revised tariffs with lower license fee, refund is not provided.

The Trai has directed that the refunds shall be made by each service provider to its subscribers after due verification of the records available with the service provider and/or the consumer.