Call Drops: Telecom Minister Meets Telcos, DoT

New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar has pulled up telecom operators and officials on public grievances particularly those related to call drops, network coverage and mobile number portability, official sources aware of the development said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the minister held a meeting with telecom service providers, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and DBN (Digital Bharat Nidhi) officials to deliberate on the issues raised by the public.

He advised Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to ensure smooth and hassle-free mobile number portability, along with reliable network quality and urged all stakeholders to work in close coordination to provide seamless connectivity and better service experience for the public.

The quality of service is monitored by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

According to the latest report published by Trai on quality of wireless service for August, there were service quality issues on MTNL and Vodafone Idea networks in a couple of circles while state-run BSNL and Bharti Airtel failed on the benchmark of response by customer care centres in some telecom circles.

The Minister of State for Communications during the meeting noted that while a large number of grievances are received by the telecom minister and DoT, many of these issues pertain directly to TSPs.

He said that citizens often approach the ministry for redressal which highlights the need for stronger institutional mechanisms to address consumer concerns effectively.

The minister during the meeting reiterated the government's resolve to strengthen telecom infrastructure.

He asked officials and telecom operators to ensure that grievance redressal systems are responsive, transparent and consumer-friendly.