Telcos recharge plans' list draws regulatory check

Is too much of choice a good thing? That's the question before India's telecom regulator examining the multitude of mobile tariff plans offered by leading telcos.

- Jatin Grover

While the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) worries that a flurry of options will overwhelm consumers and make them pick unsuitable and more expensive plans, operators fear that capping them will shrink consumer choice and hurt user revenue.

The regulator recently discussed the matter with executives of leading telcos such as Bharti Airtel Ltd, Vodafone Idea Ltd and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, three people aware of the development said on the condition of anonymity. The companies made presentations to the regulator on the number of tariff plans on offer and their benefits to the user.