Telecom regulator TRAI on Thursday proposed a new mechanism for telecom operators to resolve customers' grievances, suggesting a fine of up to ₹50 lakh per quarter on telcos in case of violations.
The proposed Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulation, 2026 seeks to make it mandatory that a clear complaint registration facility be made available on the web portal, apps and chatbots of service providers, with regular updates to be provided to consumers on action taken on registered grievances.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in the draft paper, said that if, during complaint audit, it comes across that a complaint or an appeal was dismissed improperly or disposed of unsatisfactorily, the service provider shall be liable for a financial disincentive of ₹1,000 per improper dismissal or disposal of the complaint.
In case of improper dismissal or disposal of an appeal by the service provider, the fine will be ₹5,000 for each offence, "provided that the maximum amount of financial disincentive payable by a service provider shall not exceed rupees fifty lakhs per quarter for the licensed/authorised service area," the draft regulation said.
The draft proposes that every service provider shall also ensure that a consumer is able to register complaints or appeals and raise requests or queries through their web portal, website, as well as mobile applications.
Telecom operators will have to provide subscribers the option to select the category of their communication, comprising complaint, appeal, service request or query.
"In case the consumer prefers to give additional information or in the absence of suitable options, the app/portal shall further provide an option for the complainant to share the details of their issue by entering text or via voice note," the draft said.
The draft proposed mandatory updates and information to consumers regarding the status, actions taken, and projected resolution timelines for their complaints through the application interface, until final resolution.
TRAI has also proposed that all telecom operators should have a 'Consumer Corner' on their website displayed prominently on the homepage. The section should have information and statistics related to the complaint centre, appellate authority, report of consumer satisfaction surveys and quarterly performance reports.
The regulator has fixed June 5 as the last date for comments on the draft regulation.
Published on May 8, 2026