TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/Telecom operator Vodafone has complained to Trai that Reliance Jio is still “luring customers” to subscribe the ‘Summer Surprise’ offer despite the regulator finding it in violation of norms. “Reliance Jio is continuing with this offer held as not meeting regulatory norms, in the garb of configuration changes. For past three days, it has been promoting and luring customers to quickly recharge to avail the benefits of a non-compliant offer and also asking its retailers to communicate the same,” Vodafone said in a letter to Trai.
The letter also referred to SMSes allegedly being sent by Reliance Jio to consumers and retailers asking them to quickly recharge to avail the benefit of the scheme. An SMS content reads that Jio has given time till April 10 to its customers for enrolling for the scheme. The Mukesh Ambani-led Jio on March 31 had announced that the customers who were yet to register for its “Prime Membership Plan” will have time till April 15 to join the scheme by paying Rs 99 and recharging with a minimum of Rs 303, which will get them 3-month complimentary 4G service.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) asked Jio on April 6 to stop the offer as it was not in compliance with the norms. “In our view, such promotion of the customers on an offer held as non-compliant, is a blatant violation and disregard of Trai’s advisory. Such promotions to customers make (rpt) make the regulatory advisory meaningless,” the letter said.
