Customers are voicing frustration over steep increases in mobile data package costs, as reported by the BBC Sinhala website. Packages that previously offered 30 gigabytes of data per month, unlimited calls to any network, and free access to social media are now priced significantly higher, leaving many users disgruntled.
One mobile network reportedly informed a customer that a package previously priced at Rs. 988 would no longer be available after October 5, 2024. Instead, the company introduced a new package for Rs. 1,298, which was later replaced by another costing Rs. 1,989.
When approached by the BBC Sinhala Service, one mobile service provider clarified that the 30 GB package had been reduced to 12 GB. The company also claimed that customers who acquired new connections after September 1 had been informed of these changes. In contrast, another service provider stated that existing package prices remain unchanged and that recently introduced packages priced at Rs. 797 and Rs. 1,599 are additional offerings, not replacements for current plans.
Indrajith Handapangoda, Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRCSL), confirmed that the prices of existing packages have not been officially revised. However, he acknowledged the approval of new tariff plans, clarifying that these new plans do not alter the pricing or benefits of previously subscribed packages. He added that service providers are obligated to maintain existing package terms for a minimum of one year, with revisions allowed only after that period. Applications for new packages, he explained, must receive TRCSL approval before being introduced.
Meanwhile, Ranjith Withanage, Chairman of the National Campaign for the Protection of Consumer Rights, accused mobile operators of unfairly burdening consumers through their data package pricing strategies. These developments have raised concerns over transparency and consumer protection in the telecommunications sector.
