Telecom operators paid a total penalty of around Rs 6 crore during July 2014-June 2015 to TRAI pertaining to violation of service quality norms. Out of this, mobile services providers paid Rs 3.48 crores, fixed line service providers Rs 44.5 lakh while broadband service providers paid Rs 21.75 lakh.
Show-cause notices issued on metering and billing matters further fetched Rs 1,18,841, said TRAI in its annual report.
According to the prevailing penalty norms if service is breached on quality parameters, the telecom operator would be fined up to Rs 50,000 and on subsequent failures they would be fined up to Rs 1 lakh. However, in October 2015 TRAI had amended the penalty provision and made it Rs 1 lakh for the first time violation and failing again would cost a fine up to Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh thereafter.
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