TRAI mandates AI-led complaint centres, 16-hour human support

TRAI has ordered telecom operators and internet service providers to run complaint centres around the clock. These centres may use AI agents, but customers must receive human assistance for at least 16 hours each day. The change aims to make complaint handling more available and accountable.

For example, an AI agent may receive a complaint overnight. It must operate with appropriate human oversight, and the customer must be told that the interaction involves AI. Helplines must also offer standard IVRS choices for complaints, appeals and queries, plus a human option and call-back facility.

Operators objected that 24/7 operations could create disproportionate costs. TRAI responded that round-the-clock service does not require the same level of resources throughout the day. The 24/7-centre requirement begins 90 days after Gazette publication, while human support remains a daily requirement.

TRAI stands for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. It is the independent regulator responsible for overseeing India’s telecommunications sector. Its work includes setting regulatory requirements for service providers and protecting consumers who use telecom and internet services.

In this case, TRAI amended the Telecom Consumer Complaint Redressal Regulations. It required operators and ISPs to provide complaint channels, human assistance, appeals, reporting and feedback systems. It also introduced financial penalties for mishandled complaints and appeals.

The new rules show TRAI using regulation to improve how providers resolve consumer disputes. The regulator received 73,081 complaints in 2025-26, compared with 44,733 in 2023-24. The rules will take effect in stages after Gazette publication, with some requirements beginning after 60 days and others after 90 days.

The rules require human assistance for at least 16 hours every day, even though complaint centres must operate 24/7. TRAI recorded 73,081 complaints in 2025-26, showing the scale of consumer dissatisfaction with existing grievance systems.

If a complaint is found to have been wrongly disposed of or handled, the provider is charged ₹1,000. A wrongly disposed-of appeal attracts ₹5,000. These amounts are capped at ₹20 lakh per quarter for each service area. Late quarterly reports can also bring daily penalties.

The reporting penalty is up to ₹5,000 a day for the first 15 days and ₹20,000 a day afterward. It is capped at ₹10 lakh per licensed service area. Providers must report complaints, appeals, disposal times, pending cases and survey feedback quarterly.

When a provider wrongly disposes of or mishandles a complaint, TRAI can impose a charge of ₹1,000 for that complaint. A wrongly disposed-of appeal attracts ₹5,000. The combined penalties are capped at ₹20 lakh per quarter per service area.

For consumers, the main change is a clearer and faster escalation path. They have 15 days to appeal instead of 30, and the appellate authority must decide within 15 days. Providers must also give status updates by SMS and email, offer accessible complaint channels, and request a rating after closing each complaint.

The financial penalty applies to the service provider, not directly as compensation to the consumer. Providers must also submit performance reports. The rules replace advisory committees with oversight committees, which will review each provider’s grievance redressal system periodically.

TRAI changed the complaint system because consumer complaints were rising and existing grievance redressal appeared unsatisfactory. The regulator received 73,081 complaints in 2025-26, compared with 44,733 in 2023-24. That increase pointed to growing dissatisfaction with operators’ handling of consumer problems.

The amended rules introduce 24/7 complaint centres, human support, faster appeals, performance reporting, consumer surveys and penalties for improper handling. TRAI also said advisory committees caused delays and made the appellate process inadequate, so it replaced them with oversight committees.

The rules follow a formal consultation process. TRAI released draft regulations on May 7, received 32 comments and 24 countercomments, and held an open house discussion on July 17. The changes take effect in stages after Gazette publication, giving providers time to implement the new systems.

The rules cover telecom operators, internet service providers and satellite service providers. ISPs with 10,000 or fewer subscribers are exempt, while OTT services remain outside TRAI’s jurisdiction. Consumer groups warned that the exemption could leave some small-town and rural users without a remedy.

Consumers can complain through helplines, apps and websites. Providers must offer separate IVRS options for complaints, appeals and queries, along with human assistance and call-back facilities. They must provide status updates by SMS and email, and support a state official language besides Hindi and English.

If the first decision is unsatisfactory, consumers have 15 days to appeal. The appellate authority must decide within 15 days. Complaints use non-chargeable numbers rather than a dedicated toll-free system. The rules also require dedicated desks and accessible apps for persons with disabilities.

Consumer grievance redressal is the process for registering, investigating and resolving complaints about a service. In telecommunications, it covers problems such as disputed service decisions, unresolved complaints and appeals. Effective redressal gives consumers a practical route to challenge a provider’s response.

The new rules require complaint centres, appeals, status updates, feedback surveys and oversight committees. They also impose penalties when complaints or appeals are wrongly disposed of. These mechanisms create records and deadlines instead of leaving each provider’s process entirely informal.

Independent regulatory oversight matters because telecom providers operate the complaint systems being reviewed. TRAI’s rules set common requirements across operators and ISPs, while quarterly reports help measure performance. The article records 73,081 complaints in 2025-26 and says TRAI found earlier appellate arrangements inadequate, supporting the need for stronger supervision.