Question : NEW BILLING SYSTEM

(a) whether MTNL Limited, have discontinued the system of giving full details of S.T.D./I.S.D. calls made by subscribers on monthly bills so as to enable them to scrutinise the details of S.T.D./I.S.D. calls made from their telephones;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether in the absence of such details subscribers have been deprived of their rights to information about call charges for which bills have been raised;

(d) whether the Government have received representations regarding such incomplete billing; and

(e) if so, the corrective steps the Government propose to take to revert back to previous system of telephone?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI TAPAN SIKDAR)

(a) Yes, Sir. The practice of issuing detailed bills in routine manner has been stopped in Delhi and in Mumbai it is proposed to be stopped. However, those subscribers who ask for it in writing are provided detailed bills.

(b) It was seen that furnishing of STD/ISD calls details with every bill to every subscriber was resulting in a heavy wastage of paper, postage expenditure and a lot of time in printing the details. The details were not being used by every subscriber. These views were also expressed in many meetings with groups of subscribers and various forums. Hence, it was decided to discontinue this system of supplying details in a routine manner but to provide it to the subscribes on their written request. Subscribers of MTNL were informed through advertisement in leading Newspapers and by printing message in telephone bills. Further the subscribers have also been informed through the Newspapers, the names and addresses of the nodal officers in each area appointed for this purpose.

(c ) No, Sir. Subscribers requesting for details of STD/ISD calls are supplied those details free of charge.

(d) & (e): Yes, Sir. In all such cases subscribers are supplied STD calls details and necessary arrangement is made in the system to continue this facility in future bills.