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Informist, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Monday issued the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The new regulations introduce a mechanism of regulatory review, financial disincentives for non-compliance with the amended regulations, and more. "The amendments strengthen the consumer grievance redressal framework through enhanced digital access available to consumers, round-the-clock Complaint Centre support, improved accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, and faster filing and disposal of complaints and appeals," the regulatory body said in a press release.

 

As per the amended rules, the regulator can periodically review the functioning of the grievance redressal mechanism of telecommunication service providers through audits, inspection of records, quarterly performance reports, and consumer feedback. The amendment introduces provisions for financial disincentives in cases of disposal of a complaint or appeal in contravention of the provisions of the regulations during the audit, inspection, analysis, or review. It also includes penalties for non-submission or delayed submission of quarterly performance reports.

 

The time limit for filing an appeal following the disposal of a complaint has been revised to 15 days, down from 30 days. Telecom users can now file appeals through the service providers' mobile application, website or portal, in addition to the existing channels of e-mail, post, in person, or through the consumer care number. "This will ensure faster resolution of appeal," TRAI said, adding that customers would prefer to appeal as soon as possible, whereas a longer allowed timeframe unduly increases compliance requirements.

 

The amended rules mandate that the appellate authority must comprise one or more individuals who are regular employees in the service provider's management and possess at least five years of relevant experience. "The Appellate Authority shall examine the appeal, take appropriate action for resolution of the grievance, and communicate its final decision within 15 days of receipt of the appeal," the release said. The previous process of resolving appeal cases through an advisory committee has been dispensed with to ensure an efficient and time-bound resolution process, according to the regulator. 

 

Further, upon the resolution or closure of a complaint or appeal, service providers must conduct an online feedback survey to assess customer satisfaction with the resolution on a five-point scale, ranging from "fully satisfied" to "totally dissatisfied". The operator must publish the results of these feedback surveys on its website on a quarterly basis. Every telecom service provider is also required to place a quarterly report on the redressal of complaints, appeals, and the results of feedback surveys before its chief executive officer or board of directors. 

 

Under the amended rules, every service provider must establish a consumer grievance redressal oversight committee to monitor and periodically review the functioning of its grievance redressal mechanism. This committee must include operator representatives as well as representatives from registered consumer organisations in the relevant states and union territories within the licenced service area. This latter representation is mandatory for states and union territories where the telecom operator's subscriber base exceeds 10,000. The committees must meet at least once a year to review grievance redressal mechanisms.

 

Consumers can now register complaints and appeals, raise service requests, and make service-related queries through service providers' mobile applications, alongside existing channels like the complaint centre, website, and web portal. The amended rules mandate round-the-clock customer support through complaint centres on all days of the week, instead of the existing 16-hour arrangement. This support may be provided through human representatives, automated systems, artificial intelligence agents, other customer-centric technological solutions, or a combination of these. However, human assistance must be available for at least 16 hours daily, and technology-based solutions must function with appropriate human oversight. The regulator has also mandated dedicated desks or helplines equipped to receive calls from individuals with disabilities.

 

The amended regulations apply to internet service providers that have more than 10,000 subscribers as of the last day of the financial year 2025-26 (Apr-Mar). End

 

Reported by Shakshi Jain

Edited by Megha Rawat

 

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