The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 to improve the grievance redressal framework. The changes include widening consumer options for filing complaints, extending complaint centre support availability, improving accessibility for people with disabilities, and introducing a feedback survey mechanism.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today issued the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. These regulations aim to address the evolving needs related to the upgradation of the grievance redressal framework. The amendments are intended to simplify and enhance the process for consumers.
The salient features of these amended regulations are:
1. Applicability has been simplified, with Internet Service Providers having more than ten thousand subscribers being covered, replacing the previous annual financial turnover criterion of ₹5 crore.
2. Consumers will now have the option to register complaints and appeals, raise service requests, and make service-related queries through the service provider’s mobile application in addition to existing channels such as the Complaint Centre, website, and web portal.
3. Complaint centre support will be available round the clock on all days of the week, as opposed to the previous 16-hour arrangement. This support may be provided through human representatives, automated systems, AI agents, or other customer-centric technological solutions.
4. Service providers must equip dedicated desks or helplines in their complaint centres or consumer support centres with personnel or assistive technology capable of receiving calls from persons with disabilities (PwDs). Service providers are also required to ensure that their mobile app, website, and portal have accessibility features in accordance with the applicable guidelines or standards on accessibility for Persons with Disabilities issued by the Government of India.
5. The time limit for filing an appeal following disposal of a complaint has been revised from 30 days to 15 days.
6. Consumers may now file appeals through the service provider’s mobile application, website, or portal in addition to existing channels such as email, post, in person, or through the Consumer Care Number.
7. The Appellate Authority has been made more responsible and must examine the appeal, take appropriate action for resolution of the grievance, and communicate its final decision within 15 days of receipt of the appeal.
8. A new mechanism of ‘Feedback Survey’ has been introduced. Upon resolution or closure of a complaint or appeal, the service provider shall conduct an online feedback survey to assess the consumer’s satisfaction with the resolution.
9. Every service provider shall place before its CEO or Board of Directors a quarterly report on the redressal of complaints, appeals, and the results of feedback surveys.
10. A new mechanism of Consumer Grievance Redressal Oversight Committee has been introduced to oversee and periodically review the functioning of the grievance redressal mechanism.
The amendments strengthen the consumer grievance redressal framework through enhanced digital access, round-the-clock complaint centre support, improved accessibility for people with disabilities, faster filing and disposal of complaints and appeals, a strengthened appellate mechanism, structured consumer feedback surveys, grievance redressal oversight committees, enhanced regulatory review, and financial disincentives for specified instances of non-compliance.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
