Question : Landline Telephone Service

(a) the revenue earned and expenditure incurred by BSNL and MTNL on landline services;

(b) whether a large number of complaints regarding landline services of these PSUs have been received;

(c) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year alongwith the procedure adopted for repair of telephone and attending the complaints;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure fault free landline services and the action taken against the officials responsible for such large number of complaints;

(e) the details of automated and modernized telephone exchanges in the country as on date, along with the details of proposal for setting up of such new telephone exchanges State and location-wise including Maharashtra and;

(f) the details of incentives such as reducing the monthly rental and increasing the free calls given and proposed to be given to subscribers for promoting the landline telephones?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) earned revenue of Rs. 12,009.30 crores from landline services during the year 2014-15. The details of expenditure only on landline services are not captured in the book of accounts of BSNL separately. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) earned revenue of Rs.2,986.66 crores from landline services and incurred an expenditure of Rs. 3,955.07 crores during the year 2014-15.

(b) to (d) The details of number of complaints regarding landline services of BSNL and MTNL are given below:

BSNL MTNL
Year Complaints Received Complaints
Redressed Complaints Received Complaints
Redressed
2012-13 1,30,26,261 1,19,70,517 47,31,520 43,23,791
2013-14 1,20,49,855 1,13,35,391 49,44,321 47,21,028
2014-15 85,59,475 85,59,475 46,23,102 45,58,981
2015-16 51,12,258
(upto October, 2015) 51,12,258
25,69,469
(upto September
2015) 25,33,801


Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) monitors the performance of service providers against the Quality of Service (QoS) benchmark parameters through the standards of QoS for Basic Service (wireline). BSNL and MTNL follow procedures prescribed by TRAI for attending the complaints.

BSNL and MTNL receive complaints through various methods like Interactive Voice Response (System), Internet, SMS and Call Centres etc. These complaints are immediately handed over by BSNL and MTNL to linemen of the concerned areas for repair of telephone/attending complaints.

To ensure fault free landline services BSNL and MTNL are taking several steps which includes:

• Introduction of State of the Art Next Generation Network (NGN) exchanges.
• All circles/field units have been asked for close coordination with the Local bodies, PWD, Water Authority and NHAI authorities since the Fixed Line Broadband faults mainly occur due to damage of UG (Underground) cable during road works.
• Regular patrolling of important cable routes to prevent cable thefts/cable damages.
• Provision of Broadband connections on Optical Fiber using Fibre To The Home (FTTH) technology to enhance speed and reliability.
• Constant upgradation of broadband network elements in the system based on the traffic growth.
• Deployment of field staff to provide the fault removal service in extended hours including holidays.

(e) BSNL and MTNL have reported that all their telephone exchanges in the country are automatic. BSNL is in the process of modernization its legacy Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) network into Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem based Next Generation Network (NGN). Presently, there is no plan under consideration of BSNL for commissioning of new telephone exchange. However, MTNL has planned to set up new telephone exchanges at Shivaji Stadium, Khureji, Pushpa Bhawan, Preet Vihar in Delhi.

(f) BSNL and MTNL, being commercial organizations, introduce appropriate schemes within the regulatory provisions from time to time for the benefits of its customers and to increase their market share in landline connections. BSNL has introduced night free calling from 9.00 PM to 7.00 AM to promote the landline telephone services. Similarly, MTNL has launched “Unlimited Free Local Calling for fixed line services during night hours (22:00 Hrs to 07:00 Hrs.)” and STD calling facility at local call rates during night hours (22:00 Hrs to 07:00 Hrs.).