TRAI notifies new prepaid rules offering 30-day and voice-only recharge plans

Prepaid mobile subscribers will be able to choose recharge plans with 30-day validity and vouchers that offer only voice and SMS services, following new consumer protection regulations notified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The Telecom Consumers Protection (13th Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified on September 22, widen the availability of voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs). These include options with a validity of 30 days or less, along with a plan that can renew on the same date every month.

Under the revised framework, telecom service providers must also offer voice-and-SMS-only vouchers corresponding to shorter-validity bundled plans, with an appropriate reduction in tariff. The regulations were finalised after a consultation process that drew 1,132 responses from stakeholders.

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who had raised the issue in Parliament earlier this year, said the changes address a long-standing grievance among prepaid users. In a video message, he noted that many monthly plans carried a validity of 28 days, forcing subscribers to recharge 13 times in a 12-month period, and had sought 30-day validity plans.

He also pushed for voice-only options for consumers who do not use mobile data. According to Chadha, the new rules will particularly benefit senior citizens and low-budget users who rely on their phones mainly for incoming and outgoing calls.

The regulator's latest move builds on its existing framework for voice-and-SMS-only packs, which are prepaid plans that exclude data and are intended for users who do not require internet services. Chadha described the outcome as an example of constructive politics, expressing hope that similar efforts would continue to address the practical problems faced by people.