Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has introduced three new prepaid recharge options priced at Rs 172, Rs 184 and Rs 190. The new plans offer unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS per day, without bundling mobile data. They are designed for customers who primarily use their mobile connections for calling and do not want to pay for an internet data allowance.
The three recharges offer different validity periods, giving customers more flexibility when choosing a low-cost prepaid option. The Rs 172 plan comes with 28 days of validity, while the Rs 184 plan offers 30 days. The Rs 190 recharge provides one-month validity.
The plans follow the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) revised rules requiring telecom operators to offer voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) alongside corresponding plans that bundle data.
BSNL Rs 172, Rs 184 and Rs 190 Plans: Benefits and Validity
Here is a comparison of the three new BSNL prepaid plans:
| Benefit | Rs 172 plan | Rs 184 plan | Rs 190 plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 172 | Rs 184 | Rs 190 |
| Validity | 28 days | 30 days | 1 month |
| Voice calling | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| SMS | 100/day | 100/day | 100/day |
| Mobile data | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Average daily cost | Rs 6.14 | Rs 6.13 | Depends on month length |
All three plans are intended for customers who need an active mobile connection for voice calls and SMS but do not require bundled mobile internet.
The Rs 172 option is suitable for customers looking for a shorter 28-day recharge. The Rs 184 plan offers a full 30-day validity period, while the Rs 190 option provides one-month validity.
One important distinction is that 30 days and one month are not always the same. A calendar-month validity can depend on the date of recharge and the number of days in the relevant month.
Why Has BSNL Introduced Voice-Only Recharge Plans?
The new plans follow TRAI’s Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The regulator introduced the amendment to improve the availability of affordable voice-and-SMS-only recharge options for customers who do not use mobile data.
Earlier, TRAI had required every telecom service provider to offer at least one Special Tariff Voucher exclusively for voice and SMS, with a validity of up to 365 days.
However, the regulator observed that operators were offering only a limited number of such plans, with many concentrated around longer validity periods. This restricted the choices available to customers looking for shorter-duration recharges.
The Thirteenth Amendment addresses this issue by requiring operators to offer voice-and-SMS-only vouchers corresponding to different validity periods.
Under the revised framework, operators must provide:
- Voice-and-SMS-only vouchers corresponding to bundled voice, SMS and data vouchers with validity of 30 days or less.
- A monthly renewable voice-and-SMS-only option.
- At least one longer-validity voice-and-SMS-only voucher corresponding to the relevant bundled plan.
The regulation also requires an appropriate reduction in tariff for these voice-and-SMS-only options.
Importantly, TRAI has not directed operators to remove data benefits from their existing prepaid plans. Instead, customers must also have the option to choose a corresponding recharge without bundled data.
BSNL Joins Airtel, Jio and Vi in Offering Voice-Only Plans
BSNL is not the only operator offering voice-and-SMS-only recharge options. Private telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi), have also introduced such plans following TRAI’s regulatory requirements.
These plans are particularly relevant for customers who use their SIM cards mainly for voice calls, including senior citizens, basic phone users and people who access the internet primarily through Wi-Fi.
For such customers, paying for a large daily data allowance may not make financial sense. A voice-only recharge provides an alternative without requiring them to purchase a regular data-bundled plan.
The availability and pricing of these options can vary between operators and telecom circles. Customers should compare the validity and calling benefits before choosing a recharge.
Will Voice-Only Plans Affect Telecom Operators’ ARPU?
The introduction of voice-and-SMS-only plans could influence how telecom operators earn revenue from prepaid subscribers. Customers who previously purchased data-bundled plans may now have the option to move to lower-priced voice-only alternatives.
This could put pressure on average revenue per user (ARPU) if a meaningful number of subscribers shift to cheaper plans and do not purchase additional services.
However, the actual impact will depend on customer adoption and usage patterns. Some subscribers may continue using data-bundled plans, while others could purchase separate data vouchers whenever they need mobile internet access.
For operators, the new framework creates a balance between offering affordable connectivity options and encouraging customers to purchase data services according to their requirements.
Who Should Recharge with BSNL’s New Plans?
The Rs 172, Rs 184 and Rs 190 plans could be useful for customers who:
- Mainly use their mobile connection for voice calls.
- Do not need daily mobile data.
- Access the internet through home or office Wi-Fi.
- Use a basic phone or maintain a secondary SIM.
- Want to keep their prepaid number active at a relatively low cost.
Customers who regularly use mobile data for browsing, social media, video streaming or online payments should compare BSNL’s regular data-bundled plans before recharging.
The new voice-only options give BSNL customers more choice, particularly those who want to pay for calling services without purchasing mobile data they may not use.
