In a move that is expected to benefit millions of mobile phone users in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed capping fees for mobile recharges. The new guidelines aim at bringing transparency and fairness to the industry.
As per the new rules, service providers will not be allowed to charge more than 1 rupee as fees for mobile recharges. This is seen as a significant step towards promoting digital payments and reducing the burden on customers. The move is also expected to bring down the costs associated with mobile recharges and make it more convenient for people to top-up their phone balance.
The TRAI has also proposed that service providers should not charge more than 2 rupees as fees for USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) transactions. This is a major relief for people who frequently use USSD services to check their balance, recharge their phones, or pay bills. The new guidelines are expected to come into effect soon, and service providers will have to comply with the rules by October 2026.
[image_prompt: “A mobile phone user checking their balance on their phone.”