The telecom regulator has raised concerns over selective plan availability and device-linked pricing, asking Reliance Jio to make all tariff offerings accessible across platforms and devices to ensure fair and transparent services for subscribers.
India’s telecom regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, has directed Reliance Jio to modify certain tariff practices after finding them inconsistent with established transparency and non-discrimination guidelines. The operator has been given time until April 14 to implement the required changes.
The directive focuses on two key areas—ensuring that all tariff plans are uniformly accessible across platforms, and eliminating restrictions that limit certain plans to specific devices. The regulator emphasised that customers must be able to view and purchase all available plans through multiple channels, including retail outlets, mobile applications, websites, and customer care centres.
Concerns over limited plan availability
The action follows a detailed review initiated in August 2025, after Jio withdrew some entry-level prepaid plans offering daily data benefits. During the investigation, the regulator observed that certain special tariff vouchers were available only through select channels. For instance, some plans could be accessed exclusively at Jio retail stores, while others were restricted to the MyJio mobile application.
The regulator noted that such selective availability restricts consumer access and violates earlier directives issued in September 2020, which require telecom operators to publish tariff offerings consistently across all platforms. According to the regulator, limiting access to specific channels undermines transparency and creates confusion among subscribers.
Device-based plans under scrutiny
In addition to platform restrictions, the regulator also raised concerns about device-specific tariff plans linked to Jio’s feature phones. These bundled plans, designed for devices like JioPhone and JioBharat, were found to be available only to users of those devices.
The regulator described this approach as discriminatory, stating that tariff plans should not be tied to specific hardware in a way that restricts broader consumer access. It further highlighted that such practices could limit user choice and potentially impact mobile number portability by locking customers into a particular ecosystem.
Reliance Jio, in its response, maintained that its pricing strategy is based on clearly defined criteria and does not violate regulatory norms. The company also argued that existing guidelines primarily address the publication of tariffs, not their distribution channels.
However, the regulator rejected this interpretation, asserting that transparency and availability are closely linked and cannot be treated separately.
Failure to comply with the directive may attract penalties under existing telecom regulations, including financial fines for repeated violations.
