Question : TELEPHONE CHARGES

(a) whether the telephone charges in India are the highest amongst developing countries as also the developed countries;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of monthly rental charges in 10 developing countries and in 10 developed countries, indicating their average national per capita income;

(d) whether any norms have been fixed by the International Communication Union of which India is a member; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI TAPAN SIKDAR)

(a) & (b) No, Sir. A straight comparison of rates of telephone calls etc. between one country and another may not yield an analytically tenable conclusion because of variations in cost socio-economic conditions and other factors. For example, according to World Telecom Development Report of the International Telecom Union (ITU)-1998, the tariff structure in different countries in 1996 was as follows:

Name of the	Residential Telephone
Country	Connection charge	Rental (monthly)	Local Call Charges	(in US $ )
India 23 5.4	0.02
Bangladesh	256 3.7	0.04
Ethiopia 48 1.3	0.03
Kenya 37 4.5	0.06
Mozambique 87 5.1	0.04
Nepal 40 3.7	0.02
Tanzania 59 4.4	0.08
Tajikistan 10 1.0 -
Uganda	132 5.7	0.19
Vietnam	243 6.1	0.11
Australia 94 9.1 -
Belgium	143	18.8	0.20
Canada 42	13.2 -
France 60 5.7	0.14
Germany 66	16.3	0.16
Italy	154	10.1	0.20
Japan	669	16.1	0.09
Singapore 56 6.0	0.03
U.K	181	12.9 -
U.S.A 43	12.2	0.09

Name of the Country	Residential Rental charges	Average GDP per capita 1995	in (US$ ) 1996	(monthly)	in (US$) P.M. 
India	5.4	27.97
Bangladesh	3.7	20.10
Ethiopia	1.3 7.87
Kenya	4.5	25.14
Mozambique	5.1 7.17
Nepal	3.7	15.74
Tanzania	4.4	18.80
Tajikistan	1.0 3.09
Uganda	5.7	24.15
Vietnam	6.1	22.67

High income/developed Countries.

Australia 9.1	1820
Belgium	18.8	2350
Canada	13.2	2640
France	10.3	2575
Germany	16.3	2328
Italy	10.1	2020
Japan	16.1	3220
Singapore 6.0	3000
U.K	12.9	1612
U.S.A	12.2	2440