New Delhi: Cellular-to-cellular incoming calls are free, but with a catch: subscribers would have to shell out about Rs 50 for availing the benefit.

As an interim measure pending final announcement of interconnect user charge (IUC) by the telecom regulator, consumers will have to shell out about Rs 50, one of the private cellular operator said.

The fixed amount of about Rs 50 was not declared at the time of announcement of free calls on January 21, as the pricing of services was an individual operator's matter and it could vary from operator to operator, a Bharti official said.

Post paid customers of AirTel would have to pay Rs 49 per month for the facility of free incoming calls from cell-to-cell, while for pre-paid customers this charge will vary.

Hutch official Harit Nagpal said they would charge Rs 49 for offering cell-to-cell free incoming calls.

A COAI representative said there was no industry decision to charge this amount but if individual operators wanted to charge, they could do so.

PTI