TRAI has finalised new consumer protection rules requiring telecom operators to expand voice-and-SMS-only recharge options, including shorter-validity plans and monthly renewal choices, from October 21, 2026.
Voice and SMS-Only Plans Required for Shorter Validities
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the Telecom Consumers Protection (13th Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on September 22. The amended rules will take effect 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette, putting the implementation date at October 21, 2026.
Under the new framework, telecom service providers must offer a Special Tariff Voucher (STV) exclusively for voice and SMS for each validity period of 30 days or less for which they already offer a bundled voice, SMS and data STV. The rules also require a voice-and-SMS-only option that can renew on the same date every month. If that date does not exist in a particular month, renewal will take place on the last day of that month.
Operators must also provide at least one longer-validity voice-and-SMS-only STV corresponding to the validity of a longer bundled STV. This expands the framework beyond the long-validity voice-and-SMS vouchers that operators had previously introduced.
TRAI Seeks Appropriate Price Reduction, Not a Fixed Tariff
The final regulation does not prescribe a fixed percentage reduction or a specific price for these plans. Instead, TRAI requires an “appropriate reduction” in tariff for the voice-and-SMS-only STVs.
This is a change from the April 2026 draft, which proposed a “largely proportional reduction” compared with corresponding bundled plans. TRAI ultimately dropped that wording after considering stakeholder feedback and differences in how operators price data across plans.
TRAI has nevertheless pointed to average revenue realisation per GB of wireless data as a relevant benchmark. Its January-March 2026 data shows this figure fell to Rs 7.51 per GB, from Rs 9.11 per GB a year earlier. At the same time, average monthly wireless ARPU increased to Rs 196.04.
The Rs 7.51 figure should therefore be treated as a pricing reference cited in the regulatory discussion, not as a formula that automatically determines the price of every voice-and-SMS-only recharge.
Why TRAI Is Expanding the Rule
TRAI’s earlier 12th Amendment, issued in December 2024, required operators to offer at least one voice-and-SMS-only STV. However, the regulator subsequently found that operators generally concentrated such options around longer validity periods, leaving fewer choices for consumers seeking shorter recharges.
The regulator received representations seeking shorter-duration voice-and-SMS-only packs. TRAI’s subsequent consultation received 1,132 responses, while an Open House Discussion was held in June 2026 before the final amendment was issued.
The new framework is particularly relevant for customers who mainly use a connection for calls and SMS, including some elderly users, feature-phone users and customers maintaining secondary SIMs. It gives these users an alternative to buying a data-inclusive recharge when they do not need mobile data.
Telcos Had Raised Concerns Over the Mandate
During the consultation, telecom operators raised concerns about the proposed requirement and its potential impact on pricing and network usage. Some operators also argued that prescribing reductions for standalone voice-and-SMS plans could amount to indirect tariff regulation.
TRAI retained the requirement but avoided prescribing a fixed pricing formula. The final regulation instead leaves the actual tariff to service providers while requiring an appropriate reduction from the corresponding bundled offering.
For subscribers, the immediate change will be the availability of more voice-and-SMS-only choices across shorter validity periods. The exact prices and pack combinations that Airtel, Jio, Vi and other operators introduce will become clearer as the October 21 compliance date approaches.
