TRAI Mandates Cheaper Voice, SMS-Only Recharge Plans For Telecom Users; New Rules To Benefit Low-Data Users, Senior Citizens

New Delhi, 23rd September 2026: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has approved the 13th amendment to the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations (TCPR), requiring telecom operators to offer cheaper monthly recharge plans without data, providing only calling and SMS services.

The move is expected to benefit customers who use little or no mobile internet and do not need data services. Operators including Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL will have to offer such plans.

Under the revised rules, every telecom service provider will have to offer at least one Special Tariff Voucher (STV) with a validity of 30 days or less, comprising only voice calls and SMS services.

The regulations also introduce an option for consumers to renew their monthly recharge on the same date every month. This means customers will no longer have to remember different recharge dates each month.

For instance, if a customer recharges on September 30, the validity can be renewed on October 30. If the corresponding date is unavailable in a particular month, such as February not having a 31st day, the recharge will be renewed on the last day of that month. The provision is expected to be particularly convenient for senior citizens.

Telecom companies will also have to offer at least one voice-and-SMS-only plan with a validity of more than 30 days. TRAI has directed that the tariffs for such plans should be reasonable compared with plans that include data services.

TRAI had issued a consultation paper on the proposed changes on April 7 and notified the revised regulations on Monday. The new rules will come into effect 30 days after their publication in the official gazette.

The regulator has also tightened measures against spam and fraudulent commercial calls. Telecom companies will be required to use artificial intelligence-based systems to identify suspicious spam, while new rules will apply to automated calls as well.

Operators will also have to share information on numbers associated with spam among themselves.

TRAI said the revised tariff structure is aimed at ensuring that consumers, particularly those with limited incomes, have access to affordable telecom services without having to pay for data they do not require. Telecom services have become an essential part of daily life, making affordable options increasingly important for consumers.