Trai hires UK firm for audit of mobile billing

The Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (Trai) has appointed international consultant British Approval Board for Telecommunications (BABT), a group company of Suddeutsch Land of Germany, to conduct billing audit of all Indian telecom operators.

Over the next two months, the consultant will undertake a complete billing audit of all telecom providers in the country including state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam.

The system audit is being launched by the telecom regulator to assuage the grievance of consumers many of whom have voiced their dissatisfaction.

After conducting the audit, the consultant will advise Trai on the methodology to be followed for billing systems, keeping in view the best international practices and Indian conditions.

According to a Trai official, this UK agency will focus on the system of billing and call charging verification of all the telecom service operators. It is almost a fortnight since they have begun their work and will come out with a report within the next two months.

Based on the report provided by this agency, "Trai might instruct the telecom service operators to correct the methodology if there are any inherent flaws in the billing system," the official said. He pointed out that almost all the companies are co-operating with the agency for this billing audit.

With its growing teledensity, mobile subscribers in India are finding it difficult to ignore the dissatisfaction related to billing systems.

However, the trend is not restricted to India alone. Globally, telecom regulators are emphasising on 'rating and billing accuracy' as one of the prime objectives of telecommunications services consumer protection.

RegTP Germany has adopted Telecommunications Customer Protection Ordinance ("TKV"), Oftel UK has weaved in Oftel Metering & Billing Systems Approval Scheme in its billing system, OFTA Hong Kong has Billing and Metering Integrity Scheme, while ACA Australia has call charging and billing accuracy industry code to improve billing accuracy.

Trai had earlier pointed out that, "in a competitive telecom market, operators offer various tariff packages, introducing new ones periodically. It is not easy for the subscribers to verify whether billing under these tariff plans is being properly implemented."