Broadband Services - Gaps/Challenges to be addressed and actions taken by Consumer Organizations Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), Chennai

Broadband Policy, Aimed at enhancing the quality of life by implementation of tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance, entertainment and also to generate employment through high speed access to information and web-based communication. -Recognized that the qualities of service parameters were of great importance -Aimed at providing broadband (minimum speed of 256 kbps) to 20 million subscribers by 2010

National Telecom Policy, To provide broadband on demand by 2015 and to achieve a target of 175 million broadband users by 2017 and 600 million by Broadband speed to be revised to 512 kbps and further to 2Mbps by 2015 and 100 Mbps by Affordable and high quality broadband connectivity throughout the nation (recognize broadband service as a basic necessity in the fields of education and health) - Aims at high speed broadband access to all the village panchayats by 2014 and access to all villages and habitation by Stimulate interest with respect to utility of broadband by promoting regional and local content

Gaps/Challenges Low Access – Broadband users millions (wire-line subscribers) 146 millions (wireless internet users) – Concentrated in urban areas when compared to the rural areas, where it continues to remain low – DoT - Under the Bharat Nirman Programme, Rural teledensity of at least 40% by 2014, and Broadband coverage of all 2,50,000 village panchayats by 2012 – Information for not posted in the website – Still way behind the target fixed

Reasons for low broadband penetration in villages Lack of support infrastructure, high cost of service roll out and unviable business model Content and applications not being in local language Internet primarily being used as a medium for social networking and entertainment, while its immense potential in enabling widespread access to education, healthcare, banking, jobs and access to government services remains largely untapped

Quality & Reliability of Service Speed - Speed continues to remain a dicey issue - When consumers complain of low speed or speed not being as promised, service providers often claim that the required speed was provided and it becomes harder for consumers to substantiate the same (TRAI mandates that out of speed promised, at least 80% be met) Irregular network breakdowns -This is another issue faced by consumers. For no reason the connectivity goes off while in the midst of work and consumers face great hardship as getting it restored becomes a task by itself

Tariff & Plans - Lack of transparency in the plan details and bills raised. Very often, break-up of tariffs imposed not disclosed by service providers, even when there is a dispute Redress - Lack of awareness about the inbuilt redress mechanism - More often, consumers not given the docket number as is mandated under the TRAI Regulations - Escalation matrix (Appellate Authority) continues to remain an anonymity - Rebate for delay in fault restoration, as provided in TRAI regulations, not passed on to the consumer automatically

Consumer Education - Lack of technical knowledge puts consumers in a disadvantaged position - Information provided not comprehensive and not provided in simple language for consumers to easily understand

Actions taken by Consumer Organizations Consumer activism in relation to broadband in India has yet to make a noticeable impact However, Consumer Groups, from across the country, have been trying to influence the Regulator and the service providers, time and again, to effect changes that would be beneficial to the consumers

A few interventions made by various groups include: - Demand for a network providing seamless coverage with special focus on rural and remote areas - Demand for protection of consumer interest by promoting informed consent, transparency, accountability and accessibility in quality of service, tariff, usage etc. - To recognize broadband as an ‘essential service’

-To create sufficient awareness about the inbuilt redress mechanisms available and to frequently publicize the same through popular media -Demand for quality and reliable service -Probably it is time for consumer organizations to join hands and raise voice together for the benefit of consumers!

Thank You!