BSNL has a well-structured and multilayered Customer Grievances Redressal Mechanism including Customer Dispute Resolution Mechanism. The Customer Redressal setup in BSNL has been introduced right from the Corporate Office to BA (Business Area) levels.
  1. BSNL strives to provide uninterrupted telecom services to the valuable customers. BSNL has an extensive grass root level Fault Restoration System (FRS) to book the complaints and ensure prompt rectification of any fault. For this customer is required to call Local Number 198 for booking/ registration of his complaint/grievance.
  2. Customer may use following toll free "consumer care numbers" for booking their complaints atour Complaint Centers (Call Centers). The details are tabulated below:
    S. No. Type of Service Toll Free No.
    1 For Basic Services including Broadband Services 1500 or 1800-345-1500
    2 For GSM Mobile Services 1503 or 1800-180-1503
    3 For Broadband and Internet Services 1800-4444
    4 For MPLS and other Data Services 1800-425-1957
  3. Customer may dial these "Consumer Care Numbers" to obtain general information on the respective service. Thus these numbers also act as "General Information Numbers".
  4. BSNL is committed to provide state of the art Telecom services to its customers and comply with the quality benchmarks as prescribed by TRAI or set forth by itself from time to time.

A)Quality of service benchmarks as admissible to consumers for Basic services (Wire line).

S. No. Service Parameter Time Limit for service request or redressal of complaint
(i) Provision of Telephone Connection All cases within seven days (subject to technical feasibility)
(ii) Fault Repair All the cases within five days for urban areas and all the cases within seven days for rural/ hilly areas.
(iii) Shift of Telephone Within three days
(iv) Closure 100% Within 7 days
(v) Percentage of Billing Complaints resolved 98% within four weeks and 100% within six weeks
(vi) Time taken for refund of deposit after closure 100% within sixty days after closure.
(vii) Accessibility of call centre/ customer care ≥ 95%
(viii) %age of calls answered by the operator (Voice to voice) within 90 seconds ≥ 95%

B)The bench marks as admissible to consumers for broadband service is as below.

S. No. Service Parameter Time Limit for service request or redressal of complaint
(i) Service Provisioning/ Activation Time All cases within fifteen days (subject to technical feasibility).
(ii) Fault Repair/ Restoration Time Within three days
(iii) (a) All billing complaints to be resolved within four weeks.
(b) All cases of refund of deposits to be made within sixty days after closure.
100% within 1 week
(iv) %age of calls answered by the operator (Voice to voice) within 60 seconds >60%
(v) %age of calls answered by the operator (Voice to voice) within 90 seconds >80%

C)Quality of service benchmarks as admissible to consumers for mobile services.

S. No. Service Parameter Time Limit for service request or redressal of complaint/TRAI Benchmark
(i) Resolution of billing/charging complaints 98% within four weeks and 100% within six weeks
(ii) Period of applying credit/waiver/adjustment to customer’s 100% within 1 week
(iii) Accessibility of call centre/customer care >= 95%
(iv) %age of calls answered by the operators (Voice to Voice) within 90 seconds >= 95%
(v) %age requests for Termination/Closure of service complied 100% within 7 days
(vi) Time taken for refund of Deposit after closures 100% within 60 days

Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal Regulation, 2012

Pursuant to the TRAI’s new Regulation called the Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal Regulations, 2012, BSNL has replaced its three-tier Complaint Redressal Mechanism by two-tier system by doing away with Nodal Officer. Under these Regulations, every complaint at Complaint Centre (Call Centre) shall be registered by giving Unique Docket Number, which will remain in the system for at least three months. Every Complaint Centre (Call Centre) shall
  1. At the time of registering of complaint
    • communicates, through SMS, to the consumer the docket number, date and time of registration of the complaint and the time within which the complaint is likely to be resolved; and
    • update the system with date and time of registration of the complaint, docket number, the telephone number of the consumer and the time indicated to the consumer for resolution of the complaint;
  2. On completion of action on a complaint,
    • Communicates to the consumer, through SMS, of Redressal of the complaint along with action taken on the complaint; and
    • Update the system with details of action taken.
Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), if installed on a "Consumer Care Number" is operated in the following manners:
  1. the first level of the IVRS provides for language selection;
  2. the second level of the IVRS provides for options relating to the broad categories of complaints and service requests;
  3. the third level of the IVRS provides for a sub-menu under complaints and service requests, separately;
  4. The sub-menu in the third level also contains option enabling the consumer to speak to a consumer care agent.

BSNL has established "Web based Complaint Monitoring System" to enable the consumers to book and monitor the status of their complaints in their respective Service Areas.

The details about booking and monitoring the complaints on "Web Based Monitoring System" is given below:
  1. Open BSNL website i.e.www.bsnl.co.in.
  2. Click on customer care.
  3. Choose and click on Wireline/Wireless for New Service Request, Complaint Booking and for Tracking Status of Service Request.
  4. Select the Circle and use online services without registration or with registration

Details about address for booking and monitoring the complaints on "Web Based Monitoring System".
  1. The details of Web based Complaint Monitoring System shall be published in a leading newspaper in Hindi/ English and in Local language of service area once in six month and also through its telephone bills
  2. Any change in the address of the "Web Based Complaint Monitoring System" shall also be intimated to the consumers in the same manner stated above
Appellate Authority

Name and designation of the Appellate Authority of respective Service Area along with his contact telephone number, e-mail id and office addresses is displayed in his office, Complaint Centre (Call Centre) and Customer Service Centre (CSC) and can also be seen on BSNL website.
Please Use the following form to find out the PG Appellate Authority in your Circle
Please Choose Your Circle:
Appeal to appellate authority for redressal of consumer grievances.

If the consumer is not satisfied with the redressal of his complaint by the Complaint Centre or, if his complaint remains unaddressed or no intimation of redressal of his complaint is received within the period specified, such consumer may prefer an appeal to the Appellate Authority through IVRS (details available at Complaint Booking Channels) within a period of 30 days after expiry of time limit specified for redressal of complaint. Appellate Authority will entertain an appeal even after expiry of said period of 30 days but before three months after expiry of time limit specified for redressal of grievance. Two member Advisory Committee comprised of one member from Consumer Organization registered with the Authority and other member from BSNL has been set up in each Service Area separately to offer an advice on all such appeals preferred to the Appellate Authority.The presence of the appellant shall not be obligatory but he may, if he so desires, appear in person to present his case before the appellate authority.
On disposal of the appeal by the Appellate Authority, the Secretariat cell intimates the decision thereof to the appellant and the concerned officer in BSNL.
Telephone Adalat cum Open House Session:

Subscribers whose complaints remained unsettled are invited to make petitions for redressal of their complaints in Telephone Adalat cum Open House Sessions. SSA(Secondary Switching Area) Level Telephone Adalats are being conducted on bimonthly periodicity and Circle level Telephone Adalat cum Open House Sessionsare being conducted once in three months. Customers are asked to give their complaints in writing or on the spot. The concerned office to whom the case relates examines the case received by DCO and settles the case. A speaking order settling the case is communicated to the customers. For unsettled cases, a date is fixed for holding the Telephone Adalat cum Open House. The customers are invited to attend the Telephone Adalat cum Open House. The Adalat is presided over by General Manager of the area or by CGM. The order of the Adalat is communicated after hearing the arguments.

If a consumer is not able to get his/her complaint/ redressed through the above 2-tier mechanism of Consumer complaint redressal channels, further options as detailed below is available.

a) He/ she can escalate the same at BSNL Corporate Office either through letter/ e-mail or through telephone as per contact details given below:

S.No. Name of Public Grievance Officer/ Designation Office Address Telephone Number E-Mail Address
1 GM(CDN I) Room No. 414, Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, Janpath , New Delhi-110001 011-23372200 ddgpg@bsnl.co.in
2 DGM(CDN) Room No. 29, IR Hall Eastern Court, Janpath , New Delhi-110001 011-23734311 ddgpg@bsnl.co.in

b) The consumer can also escalate their complaints to CMD BSNL or can book their Complaints Online as per details given below:

Customer Grievance Grievances Online
Customers can book their Grievances Online Click here
Customers can write to CMD BSNL by e-mail at cmdcomplaints@bsnl.co.in

c) ) Click CPGRAMS Link below for lodging the complaint