TRAI likely to deny Rcom plea to not refund users who didn't port out

The company’s plea was that the statute nowhere asks the company to refund its subscribers, claiming the balance money in the account lapses at the time of porting out.

February 07, 2018 / 11:20 IST

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Reliance Communications’ attempt to escape refunding dues to its former mobile subscribers who did not port out when it shut its services may not be successful if the telecom regulator has its way. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is set to reiterate its directive to the telecom operator to carry out its January 19 order to refund its users.

The company’s plea was that the statute nowhere asks the company to refund its subscribers, claiming the balance money in the account lapses at the time of porting out.

“In this case, the company itself created a situation where the user didn’t have a choice. Usually, a subscriber leaves a balance of less than Rs. 10 in her account while porting out. Here, porting was thrust upon the user and she was left with no option. So the company’s argument is not valid. The regulator is going to tell them again to refund its subscribers. The letter will be sent in a day or two,” an official familiar with the development told Moneycontrol.

When the customers approached TRAI against the company, the regulator asked it to refund all ported and non-ported numbers that had an account balance in excess of Rs. 5.

The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group company stopped its 2G and 3G mobile services with effect from November 30, 2017 leaving many subscribers high and dry as they got little time to carry out the preparatory work for porting out. The company announced the shutting down of its 2G and 3G mobile services on October 26 last year.