Question : IMPROVEMENT IN CUSTOMER SERVICES

(a) whether the customer services of the Department of Telecommunications is not satisfactory;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) to improve customer services;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether there has been an increase in the number of cases about customer services in consumer courts; and

(f) if so, the steps taken by the Government to check this increasing trend of customers` complaints?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SACHIN PILOT)

(a) & (b) Department of Telecommunications is no more a service provider and hence question of customer services by DoT does not arise.

(c) & (d) Section 11(b)
(v) of TRAI Act 1997, as amended in 2000, entrusts TRAI with lying down standards of Quality of Service to be provided by the Service Providers, ensuring the quality of service and conducting periodical survey of such service provided by Service Providers so as to protect the interest of consumers of telecommunication service. BSNL and MTNL are following Guidelines issued by TRAI from time to time on Quality of Service, like other Telecom Service Providers.

(e) & (f) As per latest ruling/order of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal Case No. 7687 of 2004 between General Manager Telecom Versus M. Krishnan & Anr., when there is a special remedy provided in Section 7-B of the Indian Telegraph Act regarding disputes in respect of telephone bills, then the remedy under the Consumer Protection Act is by implication barred.