May 16, 2001 All those advertisements which claim to provide relief from mental stress through chat lines have been put under scrutiny.
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has decided to crack down on all those chatlines provided on premium rate service which are violating their contractual obligations.
Apparently, these premium rate service providers had made an agreement with MTNL at the time of installation, that they will ensure to bar objectionable or obscene messages. They are also required to advertise the per unit pulse rate prominently on every advertisement. It was mandatory that the rates were easily understandable by callers.
However, Many advertisements have been appearing in the newspapers soliciting customers for chatlines in violation of the undertaking given by them.
According to Assistant General Manager of MTNL B K Nakashe, " We have taken steps to disconnect some chatlines and are also examining the feasibility of providing access to other premium rate services only to those subscribers who ask for it. "
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