With reference to the timely and lively editorial "Dropping the ball" (October 29), telecom companies have been rightly questioning the rationale behind the imposition of a penalty of Rs 1 for each call dropped (maximum of three calls a day) by the telcom regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), effective from January 1. While this consumer-friendly move could invite a host of problems, it would be naive to presume that all is well with our telcos, too. They are not doing charity by voluntarily undertaking one of the most lucrative businesses of e-communication in India.
While the editorial talks about the likely disputes and instances of litigation apart from the likely loss of revenue (two-thirds of the industry's average revenue) to the service vendors, which could add up to a substantial amount on an annual basis, it does not impress on them the responsibility to provide hassle-free services to consumers. Notwithstanding the technical pleas of telcos, we deserve a flawless service.
S Kumar New Delhi
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