The Hindu Business Line : Mobile telephone Service

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in its September 2005 survey of the quality of service (QoS) offered by mobile telephone companies across the country has brought out the none-too happy experience of the subscribers of private cellular companies.

While in the previous survey the poor QoS was only in 150 cities, according to the latest edition, now 193 cities face the same plight.

BSNL is to provide adequate and timely interconnection. The number of such points not meeting standards in August was 244 and by September it had gone up to 394. All the major cities sand metros are badly hit.

It is not sufficient if TRAI just tells the facts. It must be followed by punitive action. The DOT and the Ministry of Communications are duty-bound to protect consumer interest by penalising the errant.

There is furious competition among the phone companies to gain customers.

They are adding numbers in millions but the interconnection with the largest operator — BNSL — for its fixed as well as mobile subscribers is inadequate. This must be addressed.

T. H. Chowdary

Secunderabad

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