Question : Complaints against Telecom Operators

(a) whether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has received complaints of subscribers against Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and if so, the details thereof along with the number of such complaints received by the Government during each of the last three years and the current year, TSP-wise;

(b) action taken by the TRAI on such complaints;

(c) whether the TSP have been found guilty in addressing such complaints of subscribers in an effective and time bound manner;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government against such TSPs;

(e) whether the TRAI has any mechanism to monitor the efforts taken by the TSPs in addressing the grievances of subscribers;

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(g) the other corrective steps taken/ being taken by the Government in this direction?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS,
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

(a) Sir, total numbers of complaints against Telecom Service Providers are as under:
1. Complaints received by TRAI:
<pre>
Year 2016 Year 2017 Year 2018 Year 2019 (Jan. to November)
19819 21332 32265 26402
</pre>
TSP wise details are enclosed at Annexure-I.

2. Complaints received by Government:
<pre>
Year 2016 Year 2017 Year 2018 Year 2019 (Jan. to November)
60241 69406 54257 44890
</pre>
TSP wise details are enclosed at Annexure-II.

(b) to (f) TRAI Act,1997 does not envisage handling of individual consumer complaints by TRAI. However, complaints received in TRAI are forwarded to concerned service provider for appropriate action. TRAI has mandated all Telecom Service Providers to establish a two-tier complaint/grievance redressal mechanism for handling consumer complaints. In terms of this mechanism, a consumer can lodge service related complaints at the complaint centre of their Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). In case complaint is not redressed satisfactorily by the service provider at the complaint centre, an appeal can be registered with Appellate Authority of the TSPs.

(g) In case a grievance is not redressed even after exhausting the procedure as prescribed by TRAI, the complainant may approach Public Grievance Cell of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) along with all documentary evidence(s) for non-redrassal of his grievance at concerned Service Provider level. Complainant may submit grievance in either of the following ways:

(i) by hand (ii) post (iii) fax (iv) phone Or (v) CPGRAMS Web Portal- URL : http://www.pgporal.gov.in.

The complaints so registered in DoT are forwarded to the concerned service provider/subordinate organization(s) with an advice to take appropriate action in the matter and to inform the complainant regarding the action taken towards the redressal of grievance. All the complaints received in DoT are monitored in a transparent, user friendly and structured manner by DoT staff and officers. DoT also provides an option to the complainant to raise his/her grievance through social media like twitter.

Apart from above DoT also took initiative to bring telecom consumers under the ambit of Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Further, DoT is also considering to set-up Telecom Ombudsman for addressing the telecom consumer grievances.