Network OperatorsTRAI's call drop rules a knee-jerk response: Telcos to Delhi HC

TRAI’s call drop rules a knee-jerk response: Telcos to Delhi HC

Telecom operators have hit back at TRAI over its call drop drop compensation rules, asserting the regulation was a knee-jerk reaction which punished them without any proof. The ongoing dispute between the 2 entities is currently being heard out in the Delhi High Court, with the latter set to defend its decision in the next session.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the interests of 21 telecom operators including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone, had referred to the TRAI system as arbitrary and whimsical. He put forth the argument that offering compensation to customers was tantamount to interfering with a network provider’s tariff system, which can only be done via an order and not a regulation.

Man With Phone

According to PTI, Salve went on to claim the new framework was more or less a parallel regime which ran along with the service quality rules. He says operators are not in violation of license conditions, which mandate that it provide 90% coverage with a 2% call drop exemption.

The advocate then pointed out that network companies in India had a user base of 1 billion, out of which 36% of call drops had occurred due to irregular utilization by consumers. He contends that even with a 30% rate of this happening, it means telecom brands will have to shell out Rs 3 to 300 million customers which amounts to Rs 90 crore a day.

Also Read: TRAI conducting call drop tests, telcos feeling belligerent

Salve and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, another senior advocate for the service providers, state that call drops occur due to the lack of mobile towers and companies are unable to install more as the current system requires them to get over 100 permissions from a range of authorities to set up even 1 tower.

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