BENGALURU: An Indian physician has been billed for international roaming charges after his mobile phone reportedly picked up a Chinese network signal during a brief family visit to Nathu La pass in Sikkim, sparking fresh concerns over border-area telecom coverage and billing practices.
Dr Sundar Sankaran, who was holidaying in Sikkim with his family, said he received a hefty bill claiming he had used his phone in China, though he remained well within Indian territory. The incident occurred when the group spent only a few minutes at Nathu La, a high-altitude pass near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Dr Sankaran described the experience as frustrating. He later took to X, tagging Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): "Request TRAI to clarify. I was charged international roaming while being in Sikkim, saying I travelled to China. Is it allowed when I never went to China this year? I was in Sikkim border of China, I understand. It's sad our telecom networks are so weak and Chinese network so good, I am asked to pay for international roaming despite being in India."
The surgeon's post has drawn widespread attention, with several users sharing similar experiences of erroneous international roaming charges in border regions.
One user recalled a 2015 trip to Assam and Meghalaya, where "a lot of folks in our group got the 'Welcome to Bangladesh' message and got charged for international roaming". He called it "a scam by companies".
Another user noted that such charges have occurred multiple times but could be refunded on contacting the service provider.
The episode highlights longstanding issues with mobile network coverage in India's sensitive border areas, where signals from neighbouring countries can sometimes overpower weaker domestic towers. Experts have previously pointed to the need for better infrastructure and stricter guidelines on cross-border signal leakage and billing transparency.
TRAI is yet to respond publicly to Dr Sankaran's request for clarification. Telecom operators have not commented on the specific case. Dr Sankaran said, "I wrote to the service provider and they have refunded the amount. But the point is, how can they charge International Roaming Rates for merely going to the border.''
As border tourism grows in regions like Sikkim, the incident has raised questions about whether Indian telecom companies are equipped to prevent such billing errors and protect customers from unintended international charges while staying within the country.
