Why it is required to recharge mobile phones 13 times over a period of 12 months

Opposition leader Raghav Chadha questions telecom network operators in Parliament

New Delhi – An important question has been raised in the context of ‘mobile recharge’ in the country. Opposition leader, Raghav Chadha, asked this question to the telecom network operators and the government in Parliament. He asked why the mobile recharge has to be done 13 times instead of 12 times in a year. This is because the companies have kept a modus operandi of 28-day recharge and for the common man this system is no short of hidden loot.

He further said that if calculated as per 28 days, then it comes to 28 x 13 = 364 days. This means that one additional recharge has to be done to continue the service for the whole year. If the plan is really monthly in nature, then its validity should be 30 or 31 days. The recharge plan should be made more transparent and customer-friendly.

📱 13 Mobile Recharges in 12 Months? 🤔

In Rajya Sabha, AAP MP Raghav Chadha questioned telecom companies and the government over the 28-day mobile recharge cycle, calling it a hidden burden on consumers.

Key Points ⬇️

▪️ Most prepaid plans are 28 days, not a true monthly… pic.twitter.com/D5PAtoVDRr

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 12, 2026

Chadha also raised another common man’s problem: He said that it is understandable for an outgoing call to stop when a user’s recharge is over; But many a time, companies also stop incoming calls, which I believe is a big problem for the common man, because the mobile number is now required for banking, OTP (one-time-password), government services and job-related communications.

Position taken by telecom companies !

Telecom companies use 28-day plans as it matches exactly with the duration of 4 weeks. The telecom sector in India is regulated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI). Regulations requires a company to offer a plan with a validity of at least 30 days or more. But there is no ban on 28 day plans. (This implies that a nexus exists between the authorities and the establishment. The government should question the concerned administrative officers and enlighten the public what action will be taken against them ! – Editor)