DoT launches new integrated voice response system to tackle call drops

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a new Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS) at various locations in the country, in order to obtain direct feedback from subscribers on call drops and use that feedback to solve the problem.

The IVRS, which is in operation in Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Goa from 23 December 2016, will be extended to the entire country soon, DoT stated in a statement.

Subscribers will receive an IVRS call from the short code 1955. They will be asked a few questions on the subject of call drops such as, ''Are they facing call drops in their area or not? They can also send a toll-free SMS to the same short code 1955, containing the location of city / town / village, where they might be facing the problem of frequent call drops. The feedback of the subscribers will be shared with the telecom service providers so that they can take corrective steps in the identified areas, to improve the mobile network for addressing the problem of call drops.

Minister of communications Manoj Sinha said ''the platform is a channel to capture direct feedback from the consumers and this voice of the customer can be used to improve the services that are being offered to them''. He said, initially the government will use the platform for call drops and will extend this to capture consumer feedback in other areas as well in the future.

Besides, DoT has taken a slew of initiatives to address the issue of call drops on mobile networks. Telecom operators have installed more than 1,30,000 additional Base Transceiver Stations or BTSs across the country between June 2016 and October 2016 and further plans to install more than 1,50,000 additional BTSs across the country by March 2017.

Earlier, Sinha had warned operators that his ministry would not hesitate to slap penalties and taking other action in case consumers continue to face the problem of call drops and call failures.