Telecom giant Vodafone Essar has been ordered by the country's apex consumer forum to

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pay a compensation of Rs 6,000 to one of its customers for issuing a hefty bill of nearly Rs 22,000, which included Rs 500 for each ISD call to satellite phones.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission also asked the company to revise the mobilephone bill of Hyderabad resident Arvind Reddy, while counselling it not to indulge in unfair trade practices.

The bench headed by its member Anupam Dasgupta dismissed Vodafone's contention that Reddy's bill crossed the Rs 20,000 mark on account of his calls made to satellite phones, chargeable at the rate of Rs 500 per call.

It said the telecom firm had never properly explained Reddy about hefty charges levied on calls made to satellite phones.

"In the tariff card furnished by petitioner (Vodafone), there was no mention at all of the rate of Rs 500 per minute for calls to satellite telephones, nor was there any clarification of the asterisk mark (*) against a couple of the rates.

"Therefore, from the material brought on record, I find no reason to disagree with the appraisal of evidence, in particular the tariff card mentioned above, by the district forum. Consequently, there is no reason to interfere with the order of the State Commission," the NCDRC bench said.

The NCDRC gave its order while dismissing an appeal by Vodafone challenging the two concurrent orders of Hyderabad district consumer forum and the State consumer commission for compensation to Reddy.