Customers will have to return the overcharge amount to telecom companies within 3 months – TRAI
Amount recovered by telecom companies: According to the new rules of TRAI, every telecom company will have to get its metering and billing system checked once a year by the auditors appointed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). During the audit, if any company has collected more money from the customers, then the auditor will have to highlight this fact and tell it to the company and the concerned company will have to return their money to the customers within 3 months of the audit date. The new rule is part of the Quality of Service Rules 2023 notified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on September 11.
Apart from this, TRAI said that each LSA will be audited only once in the financial year, whereas earlier due to old rules it was audited 4 times. With the new rules of TRAI, the audit burden of companies will be reduced by about 75 percent. Simplifying the audit process, TRAI has also ensured that maximum tariff plans are covered, earlier there was a provision to audit only 15 most popular tariff plans thereby leaving out good plans with small number of subscriptions.
Fine of Rs 50 lakh for not submitting action report
Every telecom company will have to submit its annual action report to TRAI. If any regulator does not do this, then TRAI can impose a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh. Additionally, every telecom company must submit its annual program of audit to TRAI by April 15 every year which will include details of the billing systems and Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) to be audited.
Information will have to be given within 1 week of audit
During the audit of metering and billing system, if the auditor feels that the company has taken more money from the customers, then he will have to inform this to the company within 1 week and the company will have to return the money to the customers within 3 months. If the auditors delay in providing information then no action will be taken against the telecom companies. However, they will definitely have to return after getting information about the money.
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