Consumers demand compensation, telcos oppose

 Telecom operators have opposed telecom regulator TRAI’s proposal to compensate users for call drops even as a large number of consumers have backed it.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had earlier this month floated a consultation paper seeking public comments on a proposal suggesting service providers should compensate mobile subscribers for call drops and poor quality of services.

This proposal of Trai has so far seen hundreds of individuals commenting through MyGov portal to protect their interest. Citing the losses incurred to them due to call drops, people demanded that they should get double the cost for each lost call.

<g data-gr-id="26">“Calls if dropped</g> should not be charged because many times our villagers make <g data-gr-id="24">call</g> and it get dropped due to a lack of connectivity... they pay money without talking. It comes out to be a harassment,” a consumer commented on the proposal. Many others complaint about <g data-gr-id="21">absence</g> of mobile towers around their villages. There are hundreds of comments from people seeking compensation for failure in mobile internet connection as well along with call drops.

Telecom operators, industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and Association of Unified Telcom Service Providers of India (AUSPI) have opposed the proposal to compensate consumers.