In a long debated war over net neutrality, Sistema Shyam Teleservices better known as MTS, has emerged as the first telecom operator to openly break ranks with peers by encouraging subscribers to make national and international long-distance calls using any OTT (over the top) voice services app, be it Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, Google Chat, Messenger or Facebook.
While Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular are battling OTT voice service providers, which they fear will impact the voice, this move by Indian unit of Russia's Sistema JSFC is certainly a big news for the people opting for this kind of communication.
A highly placed source in Sistema Shyam executive said that the CDMA operator's subscribers would pay 50-75% less for national and international Internet calls using VoIP apps, compared with similar calls made on regular mobile networks. The move is aimed at bolstering the company's voice-centric data services business model.
Lately, Sistema Shyam has been focusing more on data services, with more than 55% of its quarterly revenue stemming from the non-voice business. The latest emphasis on Internet calling plans is aimed at growing its data earnings and hedge potential revenue expansion risks by virtue of the company's airwave holdings in just nine circles, especially since it didn't buy CDMA airwaves in the 800-MHz band in the March 2015 spectrum sale.
"Sistema Shyam doesn't support any discrimination when it comes to Internet services, and our latest plans give customers the freedom to use data purely for Internet calls if they wish," said the executive.
In July, a telecom department panel on net neutrality proposed regulating local and national long-distance calls made using OTT voice apps like Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Google Chat to create a level playing field between telcos and OTT providers.
But a Sistema Shyam executive said "the recommended restriction on domestic long-distance calls made using VoIP services," would only apply "to Internet service providers", and not regular mobile operators holding unified licences. Sistema Shyam plans to offer Internet calling service as a unified permit holder, which allows it to offer various communication services, including 4G, on the spectrum it holds.
Amid the net neutrality debate, Sistema Shyam had in August openly took a stance against established telcos such as Bharti Airtel and objected to zero-rating tariffs.