Telecom Operator Blocked A User’s Phone Number; Ordered To Pay Rs 60,000 Penalty By Consumer Court

A mobile network company has recently been directed by the consumer disputes redressal commission in Tamil Nadu to pay a compensation of Rs 60,000 to a customer as he complained that the company blocked the number provided to him and granted the same number to someone else without giving a proper reason.

The Fine and the Breakup

The amount of Rs 60,000 which was declared by the Cuddalore district consumer disputes redressal commission comprises of Rs 25,000 paid to the consumer for the service deficiency, Rs 30,000 for loss of his contacts and for causing him mental agony and pain and suffering and d Rs 5,000 towards legal expenses.

The company has been directed by the Commission president D Gopinath and members and T Kalaiyarasi to pay the amount to the complainant, failing which the complainant is entitled to recover the amount (Rs 60,000) with additional interest of 9% per annum from the date of the order to till the date of realization.

The complainant, K R Pooranan of Keerapalayam in Cuddalore district filed a petition before the commission accusing the mobile network for deficiency in service.

According to him the company not only block his number but also allotted it to someone else without his knowledge.

No Grace Time Before Blocking the Complainant’s Number

As per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI), if a consumer customer does not make a call from his mobile number to anyone and in the meantime if the recharge value also drops below Rs 20, then the mobile operator can allot the number to someone else after providing a period of 15 grace days.

Here in the case of K R Pooranan of Keerapalayam, he was not given the grace period and within 90 days his SIM was blocked and was allotted to someone else. This resulted in the loss of all the contacts in the SIM card, adding agony to the complainant.