Your landline may soon sport a 10-digit number

Telecom regulator TRAI on Friday recommended that fixed line telephones should have 10-digit numbers like mobile phones to avoid a situation in which there are not enough numbers due to growing demand.
TRAI has called for the new phone number system to be implemented by December next year.

However, TRAI said, "The existing 10-digit numbering scheme for mobile telephony should be continued to avoid inconvenience to the customers that would accompany any move to shift to an 11-digit numbering scheme," in a statement.

In January this year, TRAI had initiated a consultation process on several important issues related to numbering resources, as it was anticipated that there would be a shortage of numbers to be allocated given the explosive growth in the Indian telecom industry.

"Both fixed line and mobile phones will have a 10-digit number. This would make available enough numbers to cater to expansion of existing services and introduction of new services for the next 30-40 years," TRAI added.

The move will also facilitate extension of number portability to fixed lines, it added.

The authority said that while all preparations for extension of the 10-digit numbering scheme to fixed lines will be complete by September 30, 2011, the actual migration should be completed by December 31, 2011.

Once the recommendations are accepted, TRAI proposes to go ahead with the preparation of a detailed plan for migration to the integrated numbering scheme.

The existing national numbering plan 2003 was designed for 750 million connections, including 450 million mobile connections. Expected to be applicable till 2030, the numbering plan has come under severe strain, with the number of mobile subscriptions surpassing the expectations in 2009 itself.

With the number of subscribers likely to exceed 1 billion by 2014, the situation calls for an urgent review to facilitate continued availability of numbers with minimum disruption to any service.

Source - http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/20/your-landline-may-soon-sport-a-10-digit-number.htm

E-Ticket:- Credit Card also as ID Proof

Now credit cards (with laminated photograph) issued by Banks can also be used as the ID proof with E-Tickets. Here is the link for the latest circular.  Click the below link to see the official announcement from Indian Railways.

http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/indianrailways/directorate/traffic_comm/COMM-CIR-2K10/CC_36_2010.pdf

Cashless treatment denial? Insurance co to pay damages

An insurance company has been directed by a consumer court to pay a compensation of Rs 7,000 for failing to settle a medical claim of a patient despite receiving all the necessary documents from him.
The East Delhi District Consumer Forum directed the Reliance General Insurance Company Limited to reimburse medical expenses of Rs 90,688 to the complainant, who had taken the cashless scheme from it.
The insurance company had alleged that despite repeated reminders, the complainant had not submitted any necessary documents for the purpose of settling the claim.
"The objection taken by the insurance company in not settling the claim of the complainant can not be sustained," the forum bench, comprising President U C Tiwari and Members T Vijayan and M Saxena, said.
"The objection raised by the company in claiming that the dispute can only be decided in the civil court after leading of evidence, is without merit and appears to be aimed to frustrate his claims," the forum said.
Mahender Kumar, the complainant, had underwent medical treatment from Ram Singh Hospital and St Stephens hospital in 2008 but he was denied cashless hospitalisation by the insurance company.
Kumar moved to the consumer court seeking directions to the company to reimburse his medical expenses, besides paying a compensation.

Source - http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/04/cashless-treatment-denial-insurance-co-to-pay-damages.htm

Demat accounts without PAN to go defunct

Mumbai: The Securities and Exchnage Board of India (Sebi) is going to ban demat accounts, which do not have permanent account numbers (PAN). Non-PAN demat accounts will become inoperative from August 16, said Sebi.

The market regulator had already 'suspended for debit' (selling of shares) the demat accounts for which PAN details have not been verified. From August 16, it plans to make them even 'suspended for credit' (buying of shares).

"It has come to our notice that despite follow up, investors are not furnishing the PAN details," Sebi said.

"In order to ensure better compliance with the Know Your Client (KYC) norms it has been decided that with effect from August 16, 2010 such PAN non-compliant demat accounts shall also be 'suspended for credit' other than the credits arising out of automatic corporate actions," Sebi said leaving room for certain benefits like bonus issues and stock splits.

However, the regulator clarified that other credits including credits from IPO/FPO/Rights issue, off-market transactions or any secondary market transactions will not be allowed into such accounts. 

Source - http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Demat_accounts_without_PAN_to_go_defunct-nid-70225.html?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Subscriber

No withdrawal of cashless facility at hospitals: FM

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday allayed fears of withdrawal of the cashless mediclaim facility by public sector general insurance companies, saying these firms have not done away with these schemes and are only standardising the rates for various hospitals. 

 

"The public sector general insurance companies have not, I am emphasising on, have not revised or withdrawn the facility of cashless treatment," Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha.

From July 1, public sector insurance companies had suspended about 150 hospitals from their list of preferred provider network healthcare companies which provide cashless hospitalisation services to policy holders under the mediclaim scheme.

This was interpreted by some as withdrawal of the cashless mediclaim facility by these insurers. "The companies have started rationalising empanelment of hospitals and the standardisation of rates and specified procedures followed by these hospitals," Mukherjee said.

Last week, insurance regulator IRDA chairman J Harinarayan had expressed hope that hospitals and insurers will be able to arrive at a mutual solution.

The state-run insurers had alleged that the hospitals were billing patients higher if they came under mediclaim, whereby the claims were higher than the premium received by the insurers.

At a meeting of private hospitals and public sector insurance companies last Friday, both the parties had agreed to restore the cashless treatment facility under the mediclaim policy within 10 days.

The hospitals have already restored the cashless facility for emergency, ICU, cardiac care and trauma cases. 

Source - http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/02/no-withdrawal-of-cashless-facility-at-hospitals.htm