Call drops: TRAI gives 15 days to telcos;Govt warns of penalty

Telecom companies were today warned by the government to get their act right on call drops issue or face action, while the regulator TRAI gave them 15 days' time to address the problem.
"At present, I am not thinking of any kind penalty imposition but I don't rule out the option if the situation doesn't improve because naturally if there is an issue it needs to be addressed by those who are in the game," Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a public event here.
The top executives of leading operators including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea and Reliance Communications were also talked to by TRAI Chairman R S Sharma, who asked them to show improvement in 15 days and said any further action can be taken later.

"I have told them that after 15 days we will have another test drive in the city of Mumbai and Delhi and we will also have data relating to other places. We will measure if there is any improvement in the situation or not," he said.
Asked if penal measures will be taken if operators fail to show any improvement, Sharma said, "We will cross the bridge when we come to it, but I don't have any reason to disbelieve the operators (as yet).
"They are saying that they are making serious efforts to improve the situation. So, why should I presume that situation will not improve."

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) also rejected the operators' argument that it was inadequacy of spectrum that was leading to call drops.

"The argument that spectrum is less is no longer valid, because spectrum has suddenly not shrunk. Rather, the spectrum has increased," Sharma said after meeting the CEOs of telecom operators.
Call drops have become a severe problem in recent months and concerns have been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet today cleared spectrum trading guidelines under which telecom operators will be able to sell radiowaves to other service providers, a move that will help address the problem of spectrum shortage.

Sharma said the companies were also assured of support in dispelling fears related to radiation from the mobile towers.
To a question on whether the networks can be fixed in 15 days, Sharma said the operators are saying that they were making efforts.
At the Economist India Summit, Prasad said the government is continuously making all efforts on its part and the operators should also do their bit.
"Naturally, if there is an issue, it needs to be addressed by those who are in the game... We first cleared the spectrum sharing decision, now we have cleared the spectrum trading also. So, whatever are the demands of telecom operators for growth, we have done that," he said while adding that the telecom operators need to offer good service to get help from the government.