Cable operator to address complaints within 8 hours: TRAI rules
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Post digitalisation of the Cable sector, operators will have to address complaints of consumers within eight hours and in case of disconnection of services, the consumer will have to be given a 15-day notice.
These are few of the regulations that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued today to "determine the Quality of Service(QoS) and Consumers Complaint Redressal mechanism for the Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems."
Under the new rules, TRAI has laid out an elaborate mechanism under which Multi System operators(MSOs) and Local Cable Operators(LCOs) will have to offer their services.
The rules also said that cable operators will have to provide consumers a manual of practice, published in Hindi, English and the language of the state at the time of enrollment.
"Consumer complaints have to be responded within 8 hours," TRAI said in a statement and added that "in case consumer is not satisfied with the redressal of his complaints through Complaint Centre, he can approach the nodal officer of the operator."
Every MSO and his linked LCOs have to establish a complaint centre in their service area for addressing complaints or service requests of consumers. The consumer care number has to be toll free and has to be widely publicised, TRAI's new rules state.
MSOs and cable operator will also have to establish web based complaint monitoring system to enable the consumers to monitor the status of their complaints.
Every MSO and its linked LCOs will also have to designate one or more nodal officers in every state in which its services are being provided, TRAI has said.
TRAI's rules will be applicable to areas where digitalisation of cable is implemented by the Government. As per the government roadmap, cable in all four metros has to be digitalised by June 30 this year and in the rest of the country by December 2014.
MSOs and cable operators will also have to publish a consumer's charter for Digital Addressable Cable TV systems providing all necessary details with respect to the services being provided by them, TRAI's latest rules state.
"Prior notice of a minimum of 15 days to be given for disconnection of services to the consumer. Similarly, the consumer to give prior notice of minimum 15 days for making request for disconnection," TRAI's new regulations state. TRAI has mandated that MSOs should offer cable TV services with both pre-paid and post-paid payment options.
The telecom regulator also said that a standard application form will be used by cable operators for giving all details to be used for providing services like connection, disconnection, shifting and return of set top box (STB).
Under the new rules, operators will have to offer three schemes for STBs to consumers namely outright purchase, hire purchase and rental. "Minimum warranty of one year to be provided for set top boxes acquired by the consumer under outright purchase scheme," the TRAI statement said.
No charges, other than rentals for STB can be charged, in case the connection is suspended on the request of the consumer for a period of minimum one month to maximum three months, as per the new rulse.
The security deposit for the STBs has to be refunded within seven days of surrender of the box by the consumer, TRAI has said.
MSOs will now have a maintain websites giving details of services being offered, rates of services being offered. MSOs and cable operators to conduct public awareness campaign about these features, TRAI's rules state.
