COAI to approach Trai to keep call drop order in abeyance

This comes after apex court refused stay operators wanted on Delhi HC order for compensation

Telecom operators association COAI will approach telecom regulator Trai requesting to keep the regulation on call drop compensation in abeyance till March 10, when the Supreme Court will hear the matter.

"COAI will approach Trai to request that implementation by the industry be kept in abeyance until the Supreme Court hears and decides on the matter until March 10, 2016," COAI said in a statement.

Supreme Court today declined any interim relief to telecom companies against the Delhi High Court's order upholding Trai's decision making it mandatory for them to compensate subscribers for call drops from January 1, 2016.

Telcos had moved the high court seeking quashing of Trai's regulation contending that it was a "knee-jerk reaction" which penalised them without proving any wrong-doing. In October last year, Trai had come out with this regulation which was to come into effect from January 1.

The telcos had termed the regulation as arbitrary and whimsical contending that providing compensation to consumers amounted to interfering with companies' tariff structure which could be done only by order, not regulation.