THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a) Yes, Madam. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) reviews the Quality of Service of all the Telecom Service Providers through the quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports (PMRs) submitted to it by the service providers.
(b) The review is done by comparing the performance data of the operators against the Quality of Service benchmarks laid down by TRAI in terms of network related as well as customer service related parameters relevant for various types of Telecom services. These reviews are documented under the Chapter Quality of Services under Quarterly Indicator Reports published by TRAI and are available in TRAI Website http://www. trai.gov.in under the link http://www.trai.gov.in/Content/PerformanceIndicators Reports/1_1_Performance IndicatorsReports.aspx . The review data are organized Operator– wise and License Service area wise.
Wherever deficiencies in achieving the quality of service benchmarks have been noticed, TRAI has been following up with the service providers for addressing such deficiencies in achieving the benchmarks for the various parameters. In this regard, various meetings are held in TRAI with the service providers from time to time. These meetings and follow-up action with the service providers have been pivotal in improving the quality of service. In addition, based on quarterly performance of service providers against the benchmarks for various quality of service parameters, TRAI has imposed Financial Disincentive on the following service providers for their failure to comply with the benchmarks in the quarter ending December 2013, March 2014 and June 2014:-
Sl Services Service Providers December’13 March’14 June’14 1 2G Aircel, BSNL, Idea, Aircel, Airtel, , Aircel, Airtel, MTNL, Reliance BSNL, Idea BSNL, MTNL, com., Reliance Reliance com., Reliance com., Telecom, Tata & Reliance Telecom, Reliance Telecom, Vodafone (8 Sistema & Telewings Sistema, Tata & Service Providers) (8 Service Vodafone (9 Service Providers) Providers) 2 3G BSNL & Aircel BSNL & BSNL, MTNL & Tata (2 Service Prov Aircel (3 Service providers) iders) (2 Service Providers) 3 Basic BSNL & MTNL BSNL & MTNL BSNL, Aircel & Tata (2 Service (2 Service (3 Service Providers) Providers) Providers) 4 Broad band BSNL, MTNL, Atria, BSNL, MTNL, Beam, BSNL, MTNL, Beam, You Broadband & Hathway, Atria, Atria & D-Vois Siti Cable Asianet Satellite, (5 Service (5 Service You Broadbnd, Providers) Providers) Broadband Pacenet, Syscon Infoway, Smartlink, Rajesh Multichannel, Honesty & Home Systems (14 Service Providers)
(c) Yes, Madam. TRAI engages independent agencies to audit and assess the Quality of Services of the telecom operators.
(d) These Auditing agencies are appointed on zonal basis viz. North Zone, West Zone, East Zone & South zone. Presently the audit is done by M/s TUV & SUD Group, for North & West Zone respectively, M/s IMRB International, for East Zone & M/s CS Datamission Research Services Pvt. Ltd, for South Zone. The survey is done by M/s VOICE for North Zone, M/s Mott Macdonald Pvt. Ltd for West Zone, M/s IMRB International for East Zone & M/s Spectrum Planning (India) Ltd. For South Zone. The performance of service providers are assessed as License service area-wise and are published as “Report on Audit and Assessment of Quality of Service” and are available on TRAI website www.trai.gov.in under the link http://www.trai.gov.in/Content/QosUser/1_QosUser.aspx.
(e) The action taken by the Government in this regard is as follows:
(i) Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) was established w.e.f. 01.04.2002 under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act 2003 (further amended in 2006), to provide financial support for the provision of telecom services in commercially unviable rural and remote areas of the country. The scope of USO Fund covers all telecom services including mobile services, broadband connectivity and creation of infrastructure like Optical Fibre Cable
(OFC), in rural and remote areas. The Rules for administration of the Fund are governed by Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules as amended from time to time.
(ii) The financial resources for Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) are raised by way of collecting Universal Access Levy (UAL) @ 5% of the Adjusted Gross Revenue from telecom service providers except the pure value added service providers like Internet, Voice Mail, E-Mail service providers etc.
(iii) Various schemes are being implemented/planned with financial support from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) for expansion of telecom services in rural & remote areas of the country.
(iv) Specific studies are conducted by TRAI for improving Telecom Services in remotest part of the country. TRAI has already submitted two reports, titled,
(i) “Improving Telecom Services in the North-Eastern States: An Investment Plan”, and
(ii) “Improving Telecom Services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep” to the Government in Sept 2013, and July 2014 respectively. Government is taking appropriate actions based on these recommendations to ensure fault free network/ signals to the remotest part of the country.
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