Airtel, Jio Accuse Vodafone Idea of Unfair Practices, Seek TRAI Action on Porting Rules

India's telecom regulator has begun examining complaints filed by Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio against Vodafone Idea, after the two market leaders accused their smaller rival of unfair practices in the way it is winning back customers through mobile number portability, or MNP.

What Airtel and Jio Are Alleging

According to the complaints, Vodafone Idea and its channel partners have been using misleading tactics to lure subscribers away from rival networks. Airtel and Jio allege that customers were contacted by agents posing as representatives of their existing operator, who warned them of impending tariff hikes or plan changes in an apparent bid to nudge them toward switching to Vi instead. The companies have also claimed that in certain circles, Vodafone Idea blocked requests for unique porting codes, the SMS-based codes that regulations require operators to issue promptly whenever a subscriber wants to switch networks while retaining their number.

A further allegation centres on tariff benefits allegedly tied to porting into Vi's network, which Airtel and Jio argue amounts to an incentive structure that falls foul of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's MNP rules. The two companies have asked TRAI to direct Vodafone Idea to investigate the claims internally and submit a report, while also pushing for tighter regulations around customer acquisition practices tied to porting more broadly.

TRAI's Response

A TRAI official confirmed that the regulator has begun looking into the matter, noting that any complaint brought to its attention is required to be investigated and that all parties involved, including Vodafone Idea, will be called in as part of the process. No formal timeline for the probe's conclusion has been indicated.

Vodafone Idea Pushes Back

Vodafone Idea has firmly denied the allegations, maintaining that it has complied with all applicable telecom regulations and will present its case before the regulator when asked. The dispute lands at a sensitive moment for the company, which has spent the past year trying to convince investors and lenders that its long-flagged revival is finally on track.

Vi remains the most heavily indebted of India's three private telecom operators, but has continued to push ahead with a capital expenditure programme aimed at expanding its 4G footprint and rolling out 5G in more circles by FY29. Earlier this year, shareholders approved a fresh INR 4,730 crore investment from the Aditya Birla Group through a preferential allotment of warrants, a move that will lift the group's stake in the carrier to around 13% and was billed by non-executive chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla as a sign of renewed lender and investor confidence in the company's turnaround.

Why the Timing Matters

The complaint comes as Vodafone Idea has stepped up an aggressive advertising and customer-win-back campaign to arrest years of subscriber losses to Airtel and Jio. Industry watchers will be tracking whether TRAI's scrutiny slows that momentum, and whether the regulator moves to tighten porting rules more broadly across the sector, a change that would affect how all operators compete for customers switching networks in India's fiercely contested telecom market.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.