Telcos to pay Re 1 for call drops

Service providers cry foul over decision

Mobile users will get a compensation of Re 1 for every dropped call from the beginning of January next year, even as telecom operators cried foul saying the new rules can cost them nearly Rs 150 crore a day.

As per the new norms announced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday, the compensation will be provided to a subscriber for a maximum three dropped calls in a day.

Trai Secretary Sudhir Gupta said compensation has to be given if call drop happens because of network problem.

He, however, added the compensation would be paid only when call drop happens due to the calling party's network and not on the receiving operator's network.
He said the regulations say relief to customers will be provided by the originating service provider for each call drop within its network.

Welcoming the regulator’s decision, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said he hoped the companies would improve their services so they do not have to pay the penalty.

Announcing the compensation mechanism, Trai said mobile operators would need to pay consumers Re 1 for every dropped call, subject to a maximum of three such calls in a day, with effect from January 1, 2016.
“Call drop” has been defined as “a voice call which, after being successfully established, is interrupted prior to its normal completion (and) the cause of early termination is within the network of the service provider”.
Disappointed with the new norms, Cellular Operators Association of India Director General Rajan S Mathews said the industry would be forced to shell out about Rs 150 crore every day even if half the consumers in the country face this problem.
DH News Service