To ensure customers do not face trouble when a telecom operator shuts down services, TRAI has sought public view on issues such as mechanism and timeframe for informing subscribers, and changes in mobile number portability norms for smooth bulk transitioning of users.
In its discussion paper on ‘issues related to closure of access services’, the regulator asked if the advance notice period to subscribers should be doubled to 60 days “so that a subscriber has sufficient time to consume his talktime balance.”
“Due to the changes in policy for assignment of licence, spectrum management and the beginning of expiry of licences granted 20 years ago (first licence was granted in 1994); there is now a possibility of closure of services to the subscribers by an access service provider,” TRAI said.
Also, due to spectrum trading between operators and upgradation of technology, there have been cases of service discontinuity to subscribers, TRAI said, adding that these issues prompted it to examine the matter suo moto.
TRAI said that continuity of access services was “not assured” for a variety of reasons.
These included licensee opting not to renew its licence (loop Mobile not renewing its licence in 2014), licensee failing to re-acquire its spectrum holding in a spectrum band (Reliance Telecom in Assam, Bihar, Odisha, North-East and West Bengal in 2015), change of technology deployed by licensee (RCOM migrating from CDMA to lTE technology in some service areas), and sale of entire spectrum holding through spectrum trading. PTI