Giving a free hand to basic players to fix tariffs without its prior approval, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday notified tariff forbearance for basic services, except for rural subscribers, but warned it would intervene if it found that the rates were "inappropriate" for some regulatory reason.

Notifying an amendment to the Telecom Tariff Order 1999 for forbearance of tariffs in basic services, with exception to rural subscribers, Trai said the standard tariff package specified for rural customers would continue to be applicable.

In the case of basic services, TTO 1999 had specified availability of standard tariff package which comprises rental, call charges, free calls along with other tariff plans on offer by the service providers in the market.

"There has been intense competition for basic services both among basic as well as cellular service providers, which has resulted in drastic fall in tariffs specially long distance tariffs. The authority has decided that specification of standard tariff package for basic service subscribers in general is no longer necessary," a Trai statement said.

The forbearance would be subject to Trai's intervention in tariffs that it deems inappropriate for any regulatory reason.