Toll-free number fails to connect, firm owner fined

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 23

The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has fined Infotel Tower Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. (Connect Broadband), Sector 47, with Rs 5,500 and asked it to refund Rs 3,500 to a consumer, who subscribed to the toll-free number service of the company that did not work.

The complainant, Kamaljot Kansal, proprietor of Infowiz, Sector 34, stated that he availed himself of the service on July 25 last year and was issued the toll-free number 1800-137-0888. After the number was activated, he got it printed on brochures, leaflets, website, letter heads, visiting cards of all the employees, advertisement material etc. spending Rs 3 lakh. Later, he came to know that the toll-free number was non-functional and was encountering technical error. Finally, the company told the complainant that the number would not come into operation again. Following this, he moved the consumer court.

The forum asked the firm director to refund Rs 3,500, (the cost of the service) and pay Rs 2,500 as compensation for harassment and Rs 3,000 as litigation expenses to the complainant.