Your mobile bill may have jumped: 7 in 10 users report 50-200% rise

Your mobile phone bill may not feel like a big expense every month. But over three years, the increase can add up to a sizeable amount. A new TRAI rule will make cheaper voice-and-SMS-only plans available, but a survey shows that many users are already paying significantly more for their mobile services.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) notified the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on September 21. The rules will come into effect 30 days after publication.

Under the new rules, whenever telecom operators offer a bundled voice, SMS and data Special Tariff Voucher (STV), they will also have to offer a corresponding voice-and-SMS-only STV at a proportionately lower price. These plans can have a validity of 30 days or less, including a monthly renewable option.

The move is aimed at helping users who mainly need calling and SMS services and do not want to pay for data they may not use.

However, a LocalCircles survey suggests that the bigger concern for many mobile users is the overall rise in telecom bills.71% USERS REPORT 50-200% RISE IN MOBILE TARIFFS

The survey asked mobile users how much their monthly prepaid or postpaid tariff had increased for similar usage over the past three years.

Out of 17,417 respondents, 71% said their monthly mobile tariff had increased by between 50% and 200% during this period.

The survey found that 11% of respondents reported an increase of 200% or more. Another 13% said their bills had gone up by 150-200%, while 26% reported a 100-150% increase.

A further 21% said their tariffs had risen by 50-100%.

At the lower end, 11% reported a 25-50% increase and 6% said the increase was up to 25%. Another 6% said they had not seen any increase over the past three years, while 6% did not give a clear answer.

The findings indicate that a significant share of surveyed consumers have seen their mobile expenses rise sharply, even for similar usage.67% SAY OPERATORS DO NOT NOTIFY THEM PROPERLY

The survey also looked at how consumers are informed when their telecom provider raises tariffs.

Out of 26,174 respondents, 45% said operators usually do not notify them and simply increase the amount in the bill. Another 22% said they are never notified and only see the higher charge in their bill.

Only 26% said their service provider always notifies them properly. Four per cent did not give a clear answer.

Taken together, 67% of surveyed users said they were not being notified properly before a prepaid or postpaid tariff increase.

This makes advance communication an important issue for consumers, particularly when tariff changes can affect their monthly household expenses.WHAT TRAI'S NEW VOICE-ONLY RULE MEANS

The new TRAI amendment specifically addresses users who do not need mobile data.

Under the rules, operators selling bundled voice, SMS and data STVs will also have to provide a cheaper voice-and-SMS-only alternative. The plans will also have to include shorter validity options of 30 days or less.

This is expected to give voice-centric and low-income users another option instead of making them pay for data services they may not use.

However, the rule does not directly address tariff increases for consumers who use data and remain on bundled plans.MOBILE BILLS HAVE BEEN RISING

This survey comes at a time when telecom users have seen several rounds of tariff changes.

According to the survey, the affordable recharge options available to consumers have also changed, with entry-level plans moving from the earlier Rs 209-Rs 249 range to around Rs 299 and, more recently, Rs 349 in some cases.

The industry has also seen average revenue per user, or ARPU, rise as operators seek higher earnings from their subscriber base.

At the same time, the survey highlights a separate consumer concern: whether higher prices are being matched by better network quality and service.

Here, it must be mentioned that to understand the impact of changing mobile tariffs and plans, the survey covered more than 43,000 users across 341 districts. It looked at consumers who had either moved to higher-speed plans or continued with their earlier plans over the past three years. Men accounted for 63% of respondents, while women accounted for 37%. About 40% of respondents were from Tier 1 cities, 28% from Tier 2 and 32% from Tier 3, 4, 5 and rural districts.

Meanwhile, for consumers, the new TRAI rule could bring some relief if they mainly use their phones for calls and SMS. But the survey shows that the wider issue of rising mobile bills remains a concern, with many users reporting substantial increases over the past three years.- EndsPublished By: Jasmine anandPublished On: Sep 23, 2026 15:32 IST