Call drops: Govt to meet telecom ministry, Trai; seek solution

The government will soon meet officials of the telecom ministry and the telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to discuss compensation for dropped calls.

Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for the central government, told a division bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, he would meet on April 9 or 10 officials of the telecom ministry and also the Trai to resolve the problems arising out of frequently dropped calls.

The next hearing is slated for April 12.

The Supreme Court had earlier asked the Trai to apprise it about its stand as to whether or not it could consider amending the rules and regulations to impose a penalty on telecom firms.

It had said prima facie, it appeared that the Trai's technical papers, which cite reasons for dropped call, were not taken into account while framing of the 2015 regulation.

Telecom players have challenged the Trai's regulation of giving one rupee compensation for every dropped call, to a maximum of three calls per day.

The Delhi High Court had, in its earlier order, had upheld the Trai order mandating them to compensate consumers Rs 1 for call drops from January 1, 2016.