MANGALURU: Karnataka has recorded the highest number of telecom service complaints in India, accounting for approximately 31% of all grievances registered nationwide in 2025-26, according to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Communications.
Out of a total of 30,417 complaints recorded on the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), Karnataka alone reported 9,444 cases, far exceeding other large states.
The data shows that Karnataka’s complaints are heavily concentrated on network coverage issues (7,810 cases), followed by data quality (2,328) and call drops (1,634). This makes it not only the top contributor overall but also the leading state across all major categories of telecom service deficiencies.
A distant second is Uttar Pradesh with 4,229 complaints, followed by West Bengal (2,256), Maharashtra (1,744) and Bihar (1,484). Even when compared with other major telecom circles, Karnataka’s complaint volume is more than double that of the next highest state, highlighting a significant regional imbalance in service quality concerns.
Nationwide, network-related grievances dominate the complaint landscape. Of the total complaints, 26,800 relate to network coverage, indicating that connectivity gaps remain the most pressing issue for consumers. Data quality accounts for 8,748 complaints, while call drops, once the most visible telecom issue, stand at 3,617, suggesting some improvement in voice service stability relative to data services.
The government stated that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India continues to monitor service providers against revised Quality of Service (QoS) benchmarks introduced in August 2024 and effective from October 2024.
Despite Karnataka’s high complaint volume, the ministry noted that as of February 2026, telecom service providers are meeting prescribed QoS benchmarks across licensed service areas, indicating a possible gap between measured compliance and user experience.
To enforce standards, financial penalties have been imposed on telecom operators for non-compliance. Between April and August 2025, total fines ranged from Rs 18 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per month across providers such as Bharti Airtel, BSNL, MTNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea.
The government attributed persistent service inconsistencies, particularly in rural and remote areas, to infrastructure and coverage challenges. It outlined several corrective measures, including expanding mobile coverage in uncovered villages under Digital Bharat Nidhi schemes, spectrum allocation through auctions, easing right-of-way permissions, and promoting spectrum sharing and trading.