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TRAI questions mobile operators about call drops
Mobile call drops have taken such a menacing proportion that the TRAI has written a letter to CEOs of all cellular operators asking about measures they are taking to prevent them, reports Manoj Gairola.
Mobile call drops have taken such a menacing proportion that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has written a letter to CEOs of all cellular operators asking about measures they are taking to prevent them.
TRAI has asked CEOs “to provide by 28th February the measures taken to improve voice quality and drastic reduction in call drop rates.”
A recent Hindustan Times-C Fore survey, published on January 21, revealed more than three out of five users face call drops one or two times out of 10.
“We are also conducting studies to verify the magnitude of the problem,” TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra told Hindustan Times.
Bharti Airtel CEO Manoj Kohli said, “Yes we have received the letter (from TRAI). We are finalising our reply.”
The Indian telecom market is the fastest growing market in the world, with more than 10 million new subscribers added in January. The quality of services is, however, very poor.
Call drops not only cause inconvenience but also make consumers suffer in monetary terms. Subscribers are charged in units called pulse rate — the minimum time for which a call is charged. If the pulse rate in a tariff plan is 60 seconds, users are charged for a minimum 60 seconds even if the call drops after three seconds.
