The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has rolled out new rules known as “The Standards of Quality of Service for Access and Broadband Services, 2024.” These regulations cover both fixed and mobile access services, including broadband services as well.
From October 1, 2024, these regulations will replace the old standards for basic and mobile services, broadband, and wireless data services.
Additionally, this update aims to keep growing with current technologies like 4G, 5G, and high-speed fiber broadband, providing high-quality service as telecom technology evolves rapidly.
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TRAI’s New QoS Rules
TRAI’s new Quality of Service (QoS) rules require telecom service providers to improve network performance and be more transparent otherwise they will face several penalties and they are as follows:
Penalties for Poor Performance
If a telecom company fails to meet the quality standards, they will be fined Rs 1 lakh for the first offense, Rs 2 lakh for the second, and Rs 3 lakh for any further offenses.
Fines for False Reports
If a company submits false reports about their performance, they will face fines of up to Rs 2 lakh for the first instance, Rs 5 lakh for the second, and Rs 10 lakh for any further false reports.
Penalties for Missing Reports
If a telecom company does not submit their performance reports, they will be fined up to Rs 5,000 per day, with a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh.
What Customers Should Know?
TRAI’s new rules replace three previous regulations covering quality of service (QoS) for basic and mobile services, broadband services, and wireless broadband services.
Under the new rules, if there’s a network outage in a district, telecom operators must give rent rebates to postpaid customers and extend connection validity for prepaid customers.
TRAI in a notification dated 2 August, 2024, said, “If any such significant network outage continues for more than 24 hours, the service provider shall provide a proportional rent rebate, as per subscribed tariff offering, for the actual number of days of service outage to postpaid subscribers registered in the affected district(s) in next billing cycle.”
Network failures for over 12 hours in a day will be counted as a full day for rent rebates or validity extensions. Rebates for postpaid customers and extensions for prepaid customers due to outages over 24 hours must be given within a week of fixing the issue. Whereas, network failures from natural disasters don’t qualify for these rebates or extensions.
Additionally, fixed-line providers must compensate customers if a network fault takes over three days to fix. Whereas, broadband providers must activate 98% of connections within seven days of payment. Also, it is now necessary for mobile providers to show coverage maps for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G on their websites.
Also Read: Sensex, Nifty Crash Today: Top Reasons Behind Stock Market Mayhem on August 5, 2024
Why are Telecom Companies Unhappy?
Private telecom operators are unhappy with TRAI’s new strict Quality of Service (QoS) regulations. They believe that these rules will increase their costs and legal workload without providing significant benefits to customers.
Telecom companies also point out that despite TRAI’s stricter Quality of Service (QoS) standards, real-world challenges still exist. They struggle with getting the necessary permissions for infrastructure development, like installing cell towers and fiber optic cables, due to right of way (RoW) issues on both public and private land.
Companies like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea argue that no other regulator in similar economies has imposed such strict rules.
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