Trai seeks views on ombudsman for customer complaints

Sectoral regulator Trai will issue a consultation paper today on consumer grievance redressal mechanism in the telecom industry, seeking public opinion on establishment of an ombudsman to resolve the growing number of customer complaints.
The paper seeks public views on a range of issues, including creation of a legal framework (for establishment of office of telecom ombudsman), its structure, funding, the type of complaints that it should handle, its powers, functions and responsibilities, sources said quoting the consultation paper.
The telecom sector in India has grown rapidly in the last decade but has also seen a large number of complaints on account of wrong billing, poor quality of service and most of all, unsatisfactory resolution of consumer complaints by telecom operators, the sources added.

This has resulted in complaints being forwarded to Trai and Department of Telecom on a regular basis, it added.
Trai has also asked stakeholders to give their opinion on whether there is a need for setting up a separate, independent and empowered structure to resolve these complaints.
Last date for submitting views is August 18 and counter comments by August 26.