Trai to monitor data services of telecom companies

Data download, upload attempts and minimum download speed to be checked

In a bid to ensure mobile telecom companies provide quality in data services, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) plans to monitor the quality of service in data.

As per the proposal, the regulator will assess the quality of service in data including successful data transmission download, upload attempts from a test server, minimum download speed from a test server covering all tariff plans, success rate of data down load and data drop rate.

Apart from this, the service providers have to inform the regulator about any changes in any data services plan offered on their websites, along with their tariff, clearly indicating the cities and towns where such data services and tariff plans are applicable. Though at present the Trai is monitoring voice services delivered on wireless networks across the country, the data service indicators is mainly to ensure that telecom service providers stick to their committed tariff plans, sources in the regulator said. The regulator will compile the quality indicator of date services offered by the companies on quarterly basis.

With the increase in usage of data services by consumers using 3G services where people utilising internet services through mobile handset, the regulator wanted the companies should provide quality in service.

“If companies provided quality services, it will encourage public to avail the advantage of 3G services offered by companies which ultimately helps the companies also”, sources added.
 
The telecom companies revenue from the data service has surged recently with the average growth was 20 per cent in the second quarter of this financial year compared to first quarter of this fiscal, said the industry sources.