The old debate going on in the country regarding mobile recharge plans has now reached the government level. According to the report, the central government may encourage telecom companies to present plans with 30 days validity more prominently. This step has been taken in response to the increasing complaints from users who are facing problems with the current 28-day plan.
issue raised in parliament
Recently, Raghav Chadha raised this issue strongly in the Rajya Sabha. He said that under the current plan, if a user does not fully utilize his/her daily data quota, the remaining data expires at the end of the day. According to them, if a user gets 2GB data daily but uses only 1.5GB, the remaining data is forfeited without any refund or rollover facility. He demanded that users be given the facility to carry forward their remaining data to the next day or next billing cycle.
Demand to end 28 day plan
Raghav Chadha also suggested to completely stop the 28 day recharge plan. He argued that these plans force users to recharge more frequently throughout the year, increasing their overall expenses. Additionally, he stressed that basic services—like SMS and incoming calls—should continue for at least a year, even if the recharge validity has expired. He also advocated that a longer grace period should be given before the mobile connection is switched off.
What do the government and TRAI have to say?
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has taken cognizance of this issue and has urged telecom companies to give more importance to plans with 30 days validity. Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has already made it mandatory that telecom companies must offer the option of 30 days validity in their plan portfolio. However, companies have been given the freedom to decide the price and other terms and conditions of these plans as per their wish.
What changes can be expected in the future?
If this government initiative gains momentum, users may soon see more transparent and user-friendly mobile recharge plans. Plans with a validity of 30 days will allow users to recharge on the same date every month, which will reduce the hassle of frequent recharges.
