**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development (Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar) on December 17, 2025, in response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha (No. 2956) regarding telecom companies' 28-day cycle billing practices. It addresses concerns about potential overcharging and actions taken to ensure fair billing. The response acknowledges existing regulations and TRAI's mandates for 30-day validity vouchers.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Regulatory Framework:**
* Tariff for telecommunication services is under forbearance, except for specific services like National Roaming, Rural Fixed Line Services, mobile number portability charges, leased circuits, and USSD.
* Service providers are free to design and offer tariffs based on market understanding and commercial interests, subject to compliance with extant regulatory provisions.
* Service providers have the flexibility to decide various tariff components like rates for calls, SMS, and data.
* **TRAI Mandates:**
* TRAI, through Telecommunication Tariff (66th Amendment) Order dated 27.01.2022 and Telecommunication Tariff (67th Amendment) Order dated 31.03.2022, mandated that providers offer at least one plan voucher, one special tariff voucher and one combo voucher having a validity of thirty days.
* Vouchers must be renewable on the same date of every month; if that date is unavailable, renewal occurs on the last day of the month.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Telecom Service Providers**
* **Impact:** Telecom Service Providers continue to have flexibility in designing tariffs but must adhere to TRAI's mandates regarding 30-day validity vouchers.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with TRAI's orders by offering at least one 30-day plan voucher, one special tariff voucher and one combo voucher, and implement the required renewal process.
**Stakeholder: Consumers**
* **Impact:** Consumers are provided with options for 30-day validity vouchers.
* **Action Required:** Understand the different voucher options available and choose the plans that best suit their needs.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecommunications Tariff (66th Amendment) Order: Order by TRAI addressing telecommunication tariffs.
Telecommunications Tariff (67th Amendment) Order: Order by TRAI addressing telecommunication tariffs.
TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, a regulator mentioned in the context of tariff regulation.
Department of Telecommunications: Indian government department responsible for telecommunications policy and regulation.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2956
ANSWERED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2025
ACTION AGAINST 28-DAY CYCLE BILLING BY TELECOM COMPANIES
2956. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that telecom service providers are offering prepaid plans
with a 28-day validity cycle instead of a full month, thereby charging consumers for 13 billing cycles
per year;
(b) if so, whether this practice amounts to indirect overcharging and causes financial loss to
consumers and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps taken by TRAI and the Department of Telecommunications to regulate such
practices and ensure fair billing cycles;
(d) whether the Government proposes to mandate monthly (30-day) validity plans for
transparency and consumer protection; and
(e) the time by which corrective action is likely to be implemented?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) to (e) As per the existing regulatory tariff framework, tariff for telecommunication service
is under forbearance except for services such as National Roaming, Rural Fixed Line Services,
mobile number portability charges, leased circuits and USSD. Subject to compliance with extant
regulatory provisions, service providers are free to design and offer tariffs based on their
understanding of the market situation and in their best commercial interest. Service providers have
the flexibility to decide various tariff components like the rates for different types of calls, SMS, data
offers etc. with multiple combinations including recharge value and validity for different service
areas of their operation. Tariffs are offered by service providers taking into account several factors
including input costs, level of competition and other commercial considerations. However, TRAI
through Telecommunication Tariff (66th Amendment) Order dated 27.01.2022 and
Telecommunication Tariff (67th Amendment) Order dated 31.03.2022 mandated to offer at least one
plan voucher, one special tariff voucher and one combo voucher having a validity of thirty days
Voucher which shall be renewable on the same date of every month and if the date of such renewal
is not available in a month, the date of renewal shall be the last date of the month.
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