New Delhi: Within a day of calling truce with basic telecom players, the cellular operators on January 21 decided to make incoming calls from cell-to-cell free across various networks.

This is part of their commitment to make weekly announcements, which was derailed for some time due to dispute between cellular operators and basic telecom players over the issue of interconnection.

Two state owned PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings), MTNL (Mahanagar Telephones Nigam Limited) and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited), are yet to give their consent to this effect. As of now, rest of the cellular operators have decided to make incoming calls free across their networks, private cellular operators said in a joint statement.

The benefits of free incoming calls would be available through a package to all categories of subscribers, pre-paid and post-paid, the statement said.

The free incoming calls would be implemented with effect from now but in certain service areas the network needs to be upgraded and therefore the process could take a week in some circles.

"Consequently, it was agreed that the subscribers would transition from the current regime to the mobile to mobile incoming calls free between now and February, 2003," the release said, adding that the date of launch in different markets would be communicated individually by respective operators.

In Delhi the decision is likely to be implemented by the weekend, Bharti official said.

The joint statement issued by private cellular operators including Bharti, Hutchison, BPL Mobile, Escotel, Idea, Oasis and RPG cellular said that they announced free incoming on mobile-to-mobile after they got assurance from the government to come out with a non-discriminatory and cost based interconnection.

Reliance, the cellular operator in Kolkata and North East, said that they were contacted by the cellular operators only at 16:20 hours and were asked for their consent within 30 minutes.

Reliance officials told reporters that the time was "inadequate" to respond.

MTNL officials said that they would need telecom regulator TRAI's (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Limited) approval before giving their consent.

PTI