**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2963, answered on December 17, 2025, concerning mobile data speeds and tariffs. It addresses the regulatory framework for tariffs, government guidelines on data speeds, and consumer complaints related to data speeds over the past decade. It also references the Quality of Service regulations issued by TRAI on August 2, 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Tariff Regulation:**
* Tariffs for telecommunication services are under forbearance, except for specific services like National Roaming and Rural Fixed Line Services.
* Service providers have the freedom to design and offer tariffs based on their commercial interest and market understanding.
* Service providers can decide on tariff components such as rates for different call types, SMS, and data offers.
* **Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations:**
* "The Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wirelines and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024" issued by TRAI on August 2, 2024, requires service providers to indicate typical download and upload speeds in all tariff offerings.
* Regulations mandate that in 80% of test samples, measured download and upload speeds should meet or exceed the advertised speeds.
* **Consumer Complaints:**
* Consumer complaints regarding data speeds are received through the Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) on a financial year and Telecom Service Provider (TSP) basis.
* Annexure "A" (provided in the original document) tabulates the number of complaints received during the last decade, broken down by financial year and TSP.
**Impact Analysis**
**Telecom Service Providers (TSPs)**
* **Impact:** Must comply with the regulatory tariff framework, including forbearance, and are subject to QoS regulations regarding advertised data speeds.
* **Action Required:** TSPs must adhere to the tariff regulations and QoS standards. They should also address and resolve consumer complaints received through CPGRAMS.
**Consumers**
* **Impact:** Are entitled to transparent information regarding data speeds offered by TSPs and have recourse through CPGRAMS for data speed related grievances.
* **Action Required:** Consumers experiencing issues with data speeds should file complaints through CPGRAMS.
**TRAI/Department of Telecommunications**
* **Impact:** Responsible for enforcing the regulatory framework and monitoring consumer complaints related to data speeds.
* **Action Required:** Monitor TSP compliance with tariff regulations and QoS standards. Address consumer complaints and enforce penalties for non-compliance.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The regulatory body responsible for the telecommunications sector in India, playing a role in setting regulatory frameworks related to tariffs, data speeds and consumer complaints.
Ministry of Communications: The government ministry responsible for telecommunications policy and regulation.
The Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wirelines and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024: Regulations issued by TRAI mandating service providers to indicate typical download and upload speeds in their tariff offerings and setting standards for data speeds.
Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS): A system for registering and monitoring consumer grievances, used to track complaints related to data speeds.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2963
ANSWERED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2025
MOBILE DATA SPEEDS AND TARIFFS
†2963. SHRI SHYAMKUMAR DAULAT BARVE:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the pay-as-you-use system was in effect for mobile recharge before 2014 under
which separate top-ups were provided for data, voice and validity;
(b) if so, the details of the regulatory provision or order/policy issued by TRAI/Department of
Telecommunications under which the monthly bundled packs (data-voice validity combined) were
introduced by telecom service providers after 2016;
(c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines regarding mobile data speeds and its
tariffs and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Government/DoT/TRAI received consumer complaints regarding data speeds
during the last decade and if so, the year-wise and telecom company-wise details of the above
complaints?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) & (b) 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.
(c) Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations namely ‘The Standards of Quality of Service of Access
(Wirelines and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024 (06 of
2024)’ issued on 2nd August 2024 by TRAI, mandates every service provider to indicate typical
download and upload speed generally available to the consumers in all its tariff offerings. Further,
regulation also provides that in 80% test samples of access service (wireless), measured download
and upload speed should be more than or equal to offered typical download and upload speed
(d) As per Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), Financial
Year wise & Telecom Service Provider (TSP) wise consumer complaints received regarding data
speeds during the last decades are tabulated in Annexure ” A”:
1“Annexure-A”
Mobile Related –Data Speed Grievance
FY TSPs
BSNL MTNL BAL RJIL VIL
2015-16 0 0 0 0 0
2016-17 0 0 0 0 0
2017-18 63 10 99 171 38
2018-19 60 9 113 295 46
2019-20 197 12 445 634 133
2020-21 370 8 980 1603 335
2021-22 398 2 1075 976 317
2022-23 336 18 1045 1011 398
2023-24 242 12 801 1595 161
2024-25 568 7 809 1283 199
2025-26 till 408 5 1541 2148 332
nov.-25
Total 2642 83 6908 9716 1959
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2