TRAI changes recharge rules: Jio, Airtel and Vi users to get more voice-only plans
PTC Web Desk: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced new rules aimed at giving mobile users more choice when buying prepaid recharge plans.
Under the new rules, Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) will have to offer more recharge plans that include only voice calling and SMS without mobile data. These plans will also have to be priced lower than similar plans that come with data.
The move is expected to help people who do not regularly use mobile Internet. This includes senior citizens, low-income users and people who mostly use Wi-Fi for Internet access.
What has TRAI changed?
Telecom companies will now have to provide voice-and-SMS-only plans for every validity period of 30 days or less where they already offer bundled plans with calls, SMS and data.
The price of these voice-and-SMS-only plans must also be reduced appropriately compared with the corresponding plans that include data.
TRAI has also made a monthly recharge option mandatory. Operators must offer at least one voice-and-SMS-only plan that can be renewed on the same date every month.
If that date is not available in a particular month, the recharge should be allowed on the last day of that month.
Apart from this, telecom companies will have to provide at least one longer-validity voice-and-SMS-only voucher corresponding to their longer-validity bundled plans.
Why did TRAI bring in these rules?
TRAI said it found that telecom companies offered only a limited number of voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs). Most of these were available for longer validity periods.
This meant that users looking for cheaper plans for shorter periods had fewer choices.
TRAI released the draft Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, for public consultation on April 7, 2026.
The regulator received 1,132 responses from stakeholders and also held an Open House Discussion on June 15. After considering the feedback and carrying out its own analysis, TRAI finalised the amendment.
How will mobile users benefit?
The new rules could make prepaid recharges more flexible for people who do not need mobile data.
For example, a person who mainly uses their phone for calls and SMS and gets internet access through Wi-Fi can now choose a voice-and-SMS-only recharge instead of paying for data they may not use.
The actual savings, however, will depend on the prices of the new plans introduced by individual telecom operators.
The monthly-renewal option could also make recharging easier to track, as users can renew their plans on the same date each month instead of dealing with shorter validity cycles.
Will users need to recharge less often?
Not necessarily. Many prepaid plans currently come with 28-day validity instead of a full calendar month. This can mean that users need 13 recharges in a year to maintain continuous service. For example, if a Rs 299 plan has 28-day validity, 13 recharges would cost Rs 3,887.
If a Rs 299 plan had 30-day validity, 12 recharges would cost Rs 3,588 over 360 days.
This is only an example and assumes that the price of the plan remains the same.
TRAI's new amendment does not require telecom companies to convert all existing 28-day plans into 30-day plans. The main focus is to increase the availability of voice-and-SMS-only plans, provide a monthly-renewal option and ensure that such plans are priced appropriately.
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- With inputs from agencies
