TRAI proposes framework for premium 5G plans, separate 4G and 5G tariffs
Follow UsTRAI proposes separate 4G and premium 5G plans.
Operators must disclose speeds and maintain service quality.
Public feedback is open before the rules are finalised.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reportedly released draft regulations which can allow the telecom operators to introduce separate pricing for 4G and 5G services while formally recognising 5G network slicing as a premium offering. If approved, the proposal will enable operators such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel to launch dedicated 5G plans with differentiated tariffs, provided they comply with the strict quality standards and ensure regular users are not affected. The draft rules are currently open for public consultation before being finalised.
SurveyPremium 5G services with safeguards
The proposed framework allows telecom companies to offer 5G network slicing, a technology that creates dedicated virtual networks for users requiring faster speeds, lower latency or specialised connectivity. Each network slice can be sold as a separate tariff plan.
However, TRAI has also proposed safeguards to protect customers on standard 4G and 5G plans. The Operators must ensure premium users do not consume network resources at the cost of regular subscribers. The draft recommends keeping peak radio resource utilisation below 80 per cent to prevent congestion and maintain service quality across the network.
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Speed disclosures and stricter compliance
Along with this, the proposed rules also need telecom operators to clearly disclose expected upload and download speeds for every 4G and 5G plan. A service may be considered non-compliant if users receive download speeds below 80 per cent of the advertised performance. In such cases, operators must notify affected users and resolve the issue before filing compliance reports.
The draft also proposes penalties for violations including fines of up to Rs 2 lakh per benchmark for inaccurate e Quality of Service reporting and up to Rs 10 lakh for repeated non-compliance. The operators may also have to compensate users during outages lasting longer than 24 hours through rent rebates for postpaid customers and validity extensions for prepaid users.
TRAI has invited public comments on the proposal until August 26, with counter-comments due by September 7. If the regulations are adopted, telecom companies will also be required to begin reporting network capacity provisioning data to the regulator from October 2026.
