NEW DELHI: As the number of consumer complaints tends to rise in the telecom sector, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday has floated a consultation paper over setting up of a consumer grievance redressal mechanism for the sector.
The regulator sought public opinion on setting up of an ombudsman in the sector for speedy resolution of rising subscriber complaints over issues such as wrong billing and poor service quality. At present, only banking and insurance sectors in India are having ombudsmen.
The consultation paper seeks public views on a range of issues, including creation of a legal framework, its structure, funding, types of complaints that it should handle, its powers, functions and responsibilities.
According to Trai, the number of telecom subscribers in the country has reached around 1.04 billion by June 2016 while subscriber complaints between January and March 2016 is approximately 10.23 million, it added.
Trai has also asked stakeholders to give their opinion on whether there is a need for setting up a separate, independent and empowered structure to resolve these complaints.
The last date to submit comments is on August 18 and counter-comments can be submitted by August 26.
“It is imperative that consumer complaints and public grievances in the telecom space are resolved in a timely, efficient and cost effective manner through a system that is easily available all across the country,” it said adding that in absence of such a system the benefits of telecom revolution will miss the intended target.
Trai has, in effect, revived its 2004 recommendation- to establish an ombudsman to handle unresolved complaints in the sector - a suggestion which, at that time, had not been favoured by the government.