Ringo has been forced to stop its domestic call service in India just a week after the offering was launched in the country. The voice calling app claims some telecom operators are blocking it from conducting its operations.
In a blog post, Ringo CEO Bhavin Turakhia stated that the problem began on November 30 in the middle of the night. The application’s domestic services were halted without any notice to its service providers. The company plans to take remedial action but does not have any idea when it will be able to resume the tool’s functions.
Turakhia asserts the newly introduced Rs 0.19 per minute local and STD voice calling scheme is completely legal and follows all the necessary requirements set down by TRAI and DoT regulations. He is currently looking to get an intervention from the relevant authorities to remove the block imposed on the app.
Ringo will be pausing the rollout of its domestic operations till the issue is worked out. The firm is set to refund users if the problem doesn’t get solved within 3 days. Turakhia says this process could take some time, promising to keep consumers updated. He also pointed out that the company’s international calling service is still functioning.
Also See: Ringo app starts local and STD calling at 19 paise per minute
To recall, Ringo arrived in India earlier in the year. Unlike tools like WhatsApp and Skype, it does not utilize internet data to connect calls. Instead, it buys telecom networks in bulk and connects two users through a conference bridge based in Chandigarh. This also eliminates the need to have an app installed in both phones.
The DoT took a hard stance against OTT services a few months ago in its net neutrality report, claiming there was a need to level the playing field as network providers could face huge losses. We’ll have to wait and see if the government rules in favor of Ringo given its earlier views on the matter.