Question : SERVICE PROVIDERS OF DTH

(a) whether there are reports that some Direct to Home (DTH) service providers are not providing proper services to the customers in various parts of the country including North India;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor, State –wise and service provider- wise;

(c) whether customers have to face lots of harassment due to lack of the basic facilities provided by such DTH service providers in the said areas; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and corrective measures taken by the Government to make this service more transparent and consumer friendly?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI C. M. JATUA)

(a) to (d): Complaints from the consumers of DTH service are received from time to time from various parts of the country including North India. Most of the complaints are about the various schemes /packages offered by the service providers, tariff charges and withdrawal of services for non-recharge etc. No specific data either State-wise or the service provider-wise is maintained with regard to such individual complaints in this regard. All such complaints are immediately forwarded to concerned DTH operator for redressal of grievances of their consumers.

In so far as basic facilities like customer care services to be provided by DTH service providers to their consumers are concerned, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has notified on 31.08.2007 the Direct to Home Broadcasting Services (Standards of Quality of Service and Redressal of Grievances) Regulations, 2007.TRAI has also recently on 21.07.2010 issued tariff order for DTH services. The details of the said regulations and tariff orders issued by TRAI are available on its website (www.trai.gov.in).