The Indian telecom regulator, TRAI is serious on improving complaint redressal mechanism provided by telecom service providers. Focusing on customer protection and quality of telecom services, the regulator has released the “TELECOM CONSUMERS COMPLAINT REDRESSAL REGULATIONS, 2012 (pdf)”. The regulation will enforce Telecom service providers to setup the full fledge Complaint Centers backed by sufficient manpower and monitoring system.

The complaint redrassal mechanism and required infrastructure is already setup by most of the telecom companies including state-owned MTNL & BSNL. Core and vital part of regulation enforces to setup a Web Based Complaint Monitoring System, which is currently not provided by majority of telcos. TRAI regulation says “Every service provider shall, within forty-five days of coming into force of these regulations, establish a ‘Web Based Complaint Monitoring System’ to enable the consumers to monitor the status of their complaints.” The complaint monitoring will surly help customers to track their complaint dockets and keep the evidence of redrassal process. This help them to claim the necessary rebate due to delayed fault restoration.

With a view to enhance transparency in tariff offers, TRAI has also released “TELECOM CONSUMERS PROTECTION REGULATIONS, 2012 (pdf)”. The regulation will regulation the presentation and marketing of vouchers by enforcing color band to be printed on vaouchers, viz. red colour band for Plan Voucher; green colour band for Top Up Voucher; and yellow colour band for Special Tariff Voucher. The regulation also provides directive related to information to be given to prepaid customers at the time of service activation.

The regulation also instruct telcos to publish “Citizen’s Charter” with in sixty days, which confirms following information.

(a) name and address of the service provider;
(b) services offered by the service provider, including the details of geographic areas where such services are available;
(c) terms and conditions of service offered by the service provider;
(d) Quality of Service parameters specified by the Authority in respect of each of the services;
(e) Quality of Service promised by the service provider in respect of each service and geographic area;
(f) details about equipment offered to the consumer by the service provider in respect of any of the services;
(g) right of consumers under the different regulations, orders and directions issued by the Authority; and in particular those relating to Tariff, Mobile Number Portability, Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010 (TCCCPR) and Value Added Services (VAS);
(h) the duties and obligations of the service provider under the different regulations, orders and directions issued by the Authority; and in particular those relating to Tariff, Mobile Number Portability, TCCCPR, and VAS;
(i) General Information Number;
(j) Consumer Care Number;
(k) complaint redressal mechanism, including complaint redressal procedure and the time limits for redressal of complaints;
(l) e-mail, contact address, telephone number and facsimile number of the Appellate Authority and time limits for disposal of appeals;
(m) procedure for termination or disconnection of each service offered by the service provider; and
(n) any other information that may be specified by the Authority from time to time.