Lok Sabha Question No. 384 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Redressal of Grievances of Mobile Customers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.384 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 TH   DECEMBER, 2016

## REDRESSAL OF GRIEVANCES OF MOBILE CUSTOMERS

*384. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  mechanism  in  place  to  redress  the  grievances  of  mobile  customers  by service providers and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI);
- (b) whether the mobile operators are charging for calling the customer care and if so, the details thereof and the number of complaints received in this regard;
- (c) the  action  taken  by  the  Government  against  such  mobile  service  providers including the penalties imposed in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government has  taken action against telecom service providers who falsely advertise talk time plans and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) to (  d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Contd…2/-

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK    SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.384    FOR  14 TH DECEMBER,  2016  REGARDING  'REDRESSAL  OF  GRIEVANCES  OF  MOBILE CUSTOMERS'.

(a) to (c) As per provisions of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Act, 1997,  TRAI  has  laid  down  the  framework  for  redressal  of  complaints  by  Telecom Service  Providers  (TSPs)  through  'The  Telecom  Consumer  Complaint  Redressal Regulations,  2012.'    These  regulations  provide  for  a  two  tier  complaint  redressal mechanism  viz.  Complaint  Centre  and  Appellate  Authority.    The  complaint  centre shall  have  a  toll  free  consumer  care  number  for  lodging  complaints  and  service requests.    The  TSPs  can  also  have  a  general  information  number  at  its  complaint centre  for  information/enquiry.    The  IVRS  (Interactive  Voice  Response  System) access on this number is free but the TSPs can charge nominal tariff for speaking to consumer  care  agent.  The  consumers  can  also  lodge  appeal  with  the  Appellate Authority through the toll free consumer care number.

In  accordance with these regulations, the service providers have established toll  free  consumer  care  number  for  complaints  and  services.    Some  of  the  service providers have also established separate 'General Information Number' for information / query.

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  customers  can  also  register  their  grievances through Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal of Government of India.

The  TRAI  Act,  1997  does  not  envisage  handling  of  individual  consumer complaints by TRAI. As such, the complaints received in TRAI are forwarded to the concerned  TSPs  for  taking  appropriate  action.  Similarly,  the  complaints  received through CPGRAMS portal are also handled by the concerned TSPs under the existing framework of redressal of grievances.

No instance of charging for calling the Consumer Care Number has come to the notice of TRAI.

(d) As per TRAI Act, 1997, TRAI notifies the rate at which telecom services are to be provided. The present tariff regulatory regime for mobile services is based on the principles of forbearance, which allows flexibility  to  all  the  market  players  to  decide various tariff plans/products for different service areas of their operation. Tariffs can therefore  be  offered  by  service  providers  to  counter  the  competitive  tariffs  of  their competitors  or  any  other  prevailing  market  conditions.  However,  the  TSPs  are required to file the tariff plans offered to their customers before TRAI within one week of  such offer. TRAI keeps a close watch on the telecom tariffs being offered in the market and intervenes, if required, to ensure that the regulatory principles/orders/regulations/guidelines are being met.

TRAI  has  issued  a  Direction  dated  26.03.2012,  prohibiting  misleading  tariff advertisements which is available on TRAI website www.trai.gov.in.

Even  the  instances  of  levy  of  excess  charges  vis-à-vis  the  tariff  offered  are being  monitored  by  TRAI  through  the  Metering  and  Billing  Audit.  Telecom  service providers are made to refund the excess charges and also there are provisions for levy  of  financial  disincentives  not  exceeding  the  amount  of  excess  charges  levied from customers.

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