Annual Report

DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

PG CELL

1.      Indian Telecommunication Sector has undergone a major process of transformation through significant policy reforms, particularly beginning with the announcement of NTP 1994 and was subsequently re-emphasized and carried forward under NTP 1999. Driven by various policy initiatives, the Indian telecom sector witnessed a complete transformation in the last decade.  As of now, Department of Telecommunications is mainly performing the role of licensor and policy maker. As per licensing conditions: 

“Any dispute, with regard to the provision of SERVICE shall be a matter only between the aggrieved party and the LICENSEE, who shall duly notify this to all before providing the SERVICE.  And in no case the LICENSOR shall bear any liability or responsibility in the matter. The Licensee shall keep the Licensor indemnified for all claims, cost, charges or damages in the matter.” 

2.     

2.1    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India,  (www.trai.gov.in) an  independent legal entity,  was established to regulate the telecommunication services and discharge the various functions, two of them are as follows :- 

2.1.1   To ensure compliance of terms and conditions of license which includes customer service, Quality of Performance, Tariff  also apart from other conditions;

2.1.2   To lay down the standards of quality of service to be provided by the service providers and to ensure the quality of service and to conduct the periodical survey of such service provided by the service providers so as to protect interest of the consumers of telecommunication services; 

2.2    TRAI has notified the various Directions / Regulations to the service providers to address the major issues related to consumers including the following: 

2.2.1   Telecom Consumers Protection and Redressal of Grievances Regulation, 2007 on 4^th May 2007 which provides for speedy, effective and inexpensive redressal of grievances of consumers by the services provider. 

2.2.2   Quality of Service (code of practice on metering and billing accuracy) Regulation, 2006 on 21^st March 2006.

2.2.3   Quality of Service (time period of resolution of billing complaints, refund of dues/security deposits to consumers, rectification of calls, rebate in rent for delayed rectification of faults etc.) of Basic and Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, Regulations on 1^st July 2005.   

2.2.4   Direction on 16^th September 2005 regarding not to offer / market / advertise in a manner that is likely to mislead the consumers.

The compliance of above Directions / Regulations is monitored by TRAI.  Whenever deficiencies/violation of TRAI Orders / Directions / Regulations are noticed, TRAI takes up the issue with the Service Provider concerned for remedial action. However, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act 1997 does not envisage redressal of individual complaints by TRAI.  

3.      Telecom services are being provided in the country by government PSUs viz. MTNL/BSNL & Private Operators.  These companies are having their own consumer grievances redressal mechanism which is primarily responsible for redressal of all types of complaints of their consumers. All the complainants are supposed to seek redressal of their grievances at first instance through “Three Tier Institutionalized Grievances Redressal Mechanism” of the concerned Service Provider;  www.trai.gov.in./serviceproviderslist.asp formed by it under Telecom Consumer Protection and Redressal of Grievances Regulations, 2007 (3 of 2007) issued by TRAI.

3.1         Call Centre of concerned Service Provider (Time limit: 3 days)

3.2         Nodal Officer of concerned Service Provider and (Time limit: 10 days)

3.3         Appellate Authority within the company of Service Provider   (Time limit : 3 months)  

4.      However, in case the grievance is not redressed after exhausting all above three levels (3.1 to 3.3) of the concerned Service Provider (after the lapse of above progressive time-limit )the individual complainant without prejudice to his right to approach an appropriate Court of Law may approach Public Grievance Cell of Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Sanchar Bhawan, 20, Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110 001 along with documentary evidence for non-redressal of his grievance at concerned Service Provider level :

(a) By Post  : Public Grievances Cell,Deptt. Of Telecom,Room No.518,Sanchar Bhawan,20,Ashoka Road,New Delhi 110001.

(b)By hand      :  Information & Facilitation Counter,Sanchar Bhawan,20,Ashoka Road,New Delhi-110001.

(c)  By Web Portal  :www.pgportal.gov.in 

4.1    The complaint so received is forwarded to the service provider with a direction to take appropriate action and to inform the complainant after redressal of the grievance.   

4.2    PG Cell of DoT is not vested with any power to penalize the service provider for not redressing the grievance to the satisfaction of the complainant or for delay in redressing the grievance.  

5.            In case complainant is not satisfied with the decision taken by service provider or delay in redressal of grievance at any point of time /stage in the above process (3 & 4), the complainant is free to approach to Consumer Forum of his district under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 / any other appropriate court of law/ any other appropriate forum against the service provider in view of Para 1 above.  

STRUCTURE  OF PG CELL

Director(PG) is available for visitors on every Wednesday from 10:00 A.M. to 01:00 P.M.