TRAI brings Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations, 2012

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Voice&Data Bureau
New Update

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has come up with a new regulation focused on consumer called Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations, 2012.

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The regulations talks about providing information to pre-paid consumers on activation of voucher. All the service provider shall, within forty five days from the date of issue of these regulations, immediately on activation of a voucher, provide through SMS information like: activation of Plan Voucher; title of the plan; and validity period of the plan. On activation of Top Up Voucher the service provider should provide: total amount charged; processing fee or administration charge; taxes deducted; net monetary value added; and total available monetary value.

On activation of Special Tariff Voucher, the service provider shall provide information on total amount charged; validity period of the voucher; and benefits specific to the voucher.

With respect to starter kit, the service provider should provide information like: SIM card, if applicable; mobile number, in cases where the subscriber is enrolled other than through mobile number portability; information about the type of connection- prepaid or post-paid; and information about customer care number.

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The service provider should provide information to pre-paid consumers relating to usage after every call: duration of the call; (ii) charges deducted for the call; balance in the account; and in case of Special Tariff Voucher, and minutes of usage deducted and balance minutes of usage available.

After every session of data usage over mobile, the service provider shall provide information related to quantum of data usage; charges deducted; and balance in the account. After activation of any service including Value Added Service, the service provider should provide information related to amount deducted; purpose for which the amount has been deducted; balance in the account; and the validity period of the Value Added Service.

All service providers shall, within forty five days from the date of issue of these regulations, on request from any prepaid consumer, provide to such consumer at reasonable cost, within a time period of thirty days of receipt of such request, information relating to itemized usage charge for all calls; the number of SMS sent and the amount charged for such SMSs; Value Added Services availed and the amount charged for such service; Premium Rate Service availed and the amount charged for such service; and roaming charges.

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All service provider shall, within forty five days from the date of issue of these regulations, establish or allot a separate toll free short code to enable the consumers to seek, through SMS information like tariff plan opted by the consumer including: rates for local and long distance (STD) calls, and differential charges, if any, applicable for on-net and off-net usage; rates for SMS; rates for data service; balance available in the account of the pre-paid consumer; and Value Added Services activated on his telephone number.

All service provider providing or giving access to a Premium Rate Service shall ensure that the rate of such call is conveyed to the consumer through a voice alert prior to the materialisation of the call; and provided that the voice alert shall be in English and the local language of the service area.

In keeping in view the interests of telecom consumers and service providers, the Authority has prepared Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, 2011 for streamlining and standardize the offers provided by service providers, so as to provide clarity and transparency and help the consumers in better understanding of various vouchers.