Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced a major consumer-focused reform aimed at making telecom services more affordable for low-income users. The regulator has directed telecom service providers to introduce short-validity voice call and SMS-only plans, along with proportionate tariff reductions, for consumers who do not require mobile data services.
The move has been incorporated in the Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. According to TRAI, the new framework is designed to provide consumers with greater flexibility in choosing recharge plans that match their communication needs and financial capacity.
Under the revised regulations, telecom operators will be required to offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) that provide only voice calling and SMS services with a validity period of up to 30 days. Operators must also ensure that the tariffs for these plans are appropriately reduced in line with their shorter validity period compared to existing bundled plans that include voice, SMS, and data services.
In an official statement, TRAI noted that after the implementation of the Telecom Consumers Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024, the availability of voice and SMS-only STVs had become limited. Most available plans were focused on longer validity periods, leaving low-income consumers with fewer affordable short-term recharge options.
To address this concern, the regulator has mandated that operators introduce a voice and SMS-only STV that can be renewed on the same date every month. If the corresponding date is not available in a particular month, the plan will automatically renew on the last day of that month.
Additionally, telecom service providers will be required to offer at least one long-validity voice and SMS-only STV alongside the new monthly and short-validity options. The validity of these plans must remain aligned with the existing framework applicable to voice, SMS, and data-based tariff vouchers.
TRAI said the measures are intended to enhance consumer choice and ensure that users who primarily rely on calling and messaging services have access to affordable and suitable recharge plans without being compelled to pay for data services they do not use.
