India boasts over 115 crore telecom subscribers, with services provided by four major operators: BSNL, Jio, Vi, and Airtel. While all four are typically available in major cities, many remote areas only have one or a few operators. In these locations, if issues arise, telecom connectivity can be severely disrupted, leading to significant problems for subscribers. Users can file complaints with their service providers to address these issues, but often, telecom operators do not respond promptly or fail to give the matter the attention it deserves.
Thankfully, telecom users can now report irresponsible operators to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications for quicker resolution of their grievances. The DoT has recently emerged as a top performer in grievance redressal for March and April, highlighting its commitment to addressing subscriber issues effectively. In one instance, residents of a remote village faced persistent network outages due to a fault in the UBR cable at a BSNL 4G tower. Once flagged by the DoT, BSNL swiftly identified the problem and restored service within days.
In another case from Agar, a user repeatedly complained to Airtel about poor internet service on Airtel Air Fiber, but the operator was not responsive. After intervention from the DoT, Airtel took immediate corrective action and successfully restored the internet service. If you're facing issues with your telecom operator and seek prompt resolution, here’s how you can report your problem to the DoT.
Here's a step-by-step guide:
Access the CPGRAMS Portal: Go to the official website: pgportal.gov.in.
Sign Up and Register: If you're a new user, you'll need to sign up to create an account and register your complaint.
Initiate a New Grievance: On the portal's homepage, click on the 'Lodge Public Grievance' option.
Select 'Telecommunications': To ensure your complaint goes to the correct department, choose 'Telecommunications' from the list of categories.\
Categorise Your Complaint: You'll then need to select the main category of your complaint, followed by a next-level category that best describes your specific issue (e.g., billing, network outage, service activation).
Provide Details & Documents: Fill in all the required details about your complaint. If you have any supporting documents (like screenshots, previous complaint numbers, bills), make sure to upload them.
Expect Quick Resolution: Once submitted, your complaint will be forwarded to the relevant authorities, and you can generally expect a resolution within a few days.
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