Raghav Chadha Advocates for Fair Mobile Data Practices in Rajya Sabha

Call for Mobile Data Regulation

New Delhi: Raghav Chadha, a Member of Parliament from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), made a compelling argument on Monday for the need to regulate and rationalize mobile data usage. He urged major telecom companies to implement systems that allow for the rollover of unused data and facilitate its transfer among family and friends.

During a session in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha highlighted the importance of aligning mobile data regulations with other consumer services, ensuring that users receive full value for their payments.

He pointed out that any unused mobile data is forfeited by telecom providers after midnight, which he described as an unethical practice. "Customers pay for their data, yet any leftover data is lost at the end of the day," he remarked, expressing concern over this issue.

Chadha compared mobile data services to other utilities like petrol and electricity, where consumers only pay for what they use. He questioned why mobile data, once paid for, should not carry over.

He noted that telecom companies often offer daily data plans with limits such as 1.5GB, 2GB, or 3GB, which reset every 24 hours. However, any unused data expires at midnight, despite being fully paid for.

"If you are billed for 2GB and only use 1.5GB, the remaining 0.5GB simply vanishes at the end of the day. There is no refund or rollover; it just disappears. This is not a coincidence; it is a policy," he argued.

Chadha, who has previously raised various public issues, outlined three specific demands:

Firstly, he called for all telecom operators to allow the rollover of unused data, stating, "What remains at the end of the day should be added to the next day's data limit, rather than being erased."

His second demand proposed that if a consumer consistently underuses their data, there should be a system to adjust or discount that value from the next month's recharge amount, ensuring consumers do not pay for unused capacity.

Lastly, he emphasized that unused data should be regarded as the consumer's digital property, allowing users to transfer their unused data to others, similar to transferring money.

"As we strive for a Digital India, access to data should not be contingent on data that vanishes," he concluded.