Mobile users who mainly need calling and SMS services will soon have more recharge options. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced new rules requiring telecom operators to offer voice and SMS-only prepaid vouchers across multiple validity periods.
The move is aimed at customers who may not need mobile data but currently have to pay for bundled plans that include it.
Under the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, telecom operators will have to offer separate voice and SMS-only vouchers at appropriately reduced prices. TRAI said existing options were limited and largely focused on longer validity periods, leaving users with fewer short-term choices.
What Are the New TRAI Rules?
The amendment changes the way telecom companies offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs).
Operators must offer voice and SMS-only vouchers for every validity period of 30 days or less for which they provide a combined calling, SMS and data voucher.
They must also offer a monthly voucher that can be renewed on the same date each month. If that date is not available in a particular month, the voucher will be valid until the last day of that month.
In addition, operators must provide at least one longer-validity voice and SMS-only voucher corresponding to an existing bundled plan.
Why Has TRAI Introduced the Changes?
TRAI had introduced a rule in 2024 requiring telecom operators to offer at least one voice and SMS-only voucher. However, the regulator later found that consumers still had limited choices.
The latest amendment follows a consultation process launched on April 7, 2026. TRAI received 1,132 responses from stakeholders and held an open discussion on June 15.
The regulator said the changes would give consumers, particularly those with limited budgets, more flexibility to choose recharge plans based on their needs.
What Does It Mean for Jio, Airtel and Vi Users?
Customers who use basic phones, maintain secondary SIM cards or primarily use their phones for calls and SMS are likely to get more recharge options.
The new rules also require operators to appropriately reduce the tariff when data benefits are removed from a bundled plan, potentially making voice and SMS-only recharges cheaper than comparable plans that include data.