Lok Sabha Question No. 2963 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Mobile Data Speeds and Tariffs
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Shyamkumar Daulat Barve

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2963 ANSWERED ON 17 TH  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' :

'Annexure-A'

| Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   | Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   | Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   | Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   | Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   | Mobile Related -Data Speed Grievance   |
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| FY                                     | TSPs                                   | TSPs                                   | TSPs                                   | TSPs                                   | TSPs                                   |
| FY                                     | 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 nov.-25                   | 408                                    | 5                                      | 1541                                   | 2148                                   | 332                                    |
| Total                                  | 2642                                   | 83                                     | 6908                                   | 9716                                   | 1959                                   |

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