Telcos ringing in massive ‘illegal’ profits via frequent call drops

“Strict action” needs to be taken against telecom operators for frequent call drops,” Somaiya said as he raised the issue when the House took up matters of urgent public importance.He alleged that private telecom operators were making profits illegally as consumers have to pay more due to the ‘call drops’.

Raising the issue of ‘one rank, one pension’ for defence personnel, Mullappally Ramachandran (Cong) urged the Government to complete all formalities and discussions in this regard urgently and implement the scheme. Rattan Lal Kataria (BJP) said the government should carry out a national survey on nutrition to help gathering data that could be used in efforts to tackle malnutrition. More than a lakh people die due to malnutrition, he added. 

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said the Department of Telecom (DoT) will soon call a meeting of all service providers to look into the problem of frequent call drops being faced by customers. 

“I have asked my officials to call a meeting of all service providers regarding call drops faced by customers,” Prasad said. Operators will be asked to improve quality of service, he added. A group of BJP MPs have also complained to the minister regarding frequent ‘call dropping’, excess billing and non-transparency by some private telecom operators. 

The parliamentarians demanded action against the private telecom operators after proper investigation and alleged that the firms were not hearing complaints of the customers. Mobile phone users have been complaining about the call drops, but telecom operators have not lived up to their expectations to rectify the problems and provide a good communication network. 

Instead, the operators, cite lack of spectrum and hurdles of not allowing installation of mobile towers in residential areas due to radiation issues for call drops. Prasad, on several occasions, has said that the lack of spectrum is no excuse for not resolving the frequent problems of call drops on their 

networks. He had also said if consumers continue to raise concerns about quality of service, then he would bring the issue to the notice of telecom regulator Trai for its consideration.