TRAI announces 20L quarterly fines for telecom complaint mishandling
TRAI just announced tough new rules for telecom companies that don't take customer complaints seriously.
Starting November 2, 2026, companies could face fines up to 20 lakh rupees per quarter per licensed or authorized service area if they mess up complaint handling.
Each wrongly closed complaint will cost them 1,000 rupees, and skipping proper appeal steps means a 5,000-rupee penalty.
Telecoms must run 24/7 complaint centers
Telecom operators now have to run 24/7 complaint centers with real people available at least 16 hours a day.
TRAI reduced the time available to consumers to appeal against the disposal of a complaint from 30 days to 15 days, and the appellate authority must communicate its final decision within 15 days of receiving an appeal.
Plus, a new oversight committee, made up of both company reps and representatives of registered consumer organizations, will keep an eye on how complaints are handled.
TRAI is also looking at AI guidelines for the industry as tech use ramps up.