Question : TELECOM CONSUMERS EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND

(a) whether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) proposes to set up a Telecom Consumers Education and Protection Fund in the country; and

(b) if so, the details and the objectives thereof?

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

(a) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has already set up the Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund through notification of the Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund Regulations, 2007 (6 of 2007) dated 15th June, 2007.

(b) Any amount charged from the subscribers in excess of the rates of telecommunication services determined under any regulation, order of direction made under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act or amount in excess of the rates announced by the service providers, where the rates have been notified as rates under market forbearance and which could not be refunded to the concerned subscribers and thus lying as unclaimed with the service providers constitutes the corpus of the Fund. The Fund has been set up with the objective to prevent the unjust or undue enrichment of the service providers and to utilize the excess amount charged from consumers for their education and protection.