TRAI Mandates Voice-and-SMS-Only Recharge Packs of 30 Days or Less

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 22 September 2026 released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The rules make sure that mobile users who do not need data can buy cheaper voice-and-SMS-only recharge packs, including short-validity ones.

Why the change was needed

After the Twelfth Amendment of 2024, operators were required to offer voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs). TRAI found that only a few such packs were on offer, mostly with long validities, which left low-income users, many of whom use a basic phone or a second SIM, without affordable short-duration choices. A draft amendment was floated on 7 April 2026, drew 1,132 responses, and was discussed at an open house on 15 June 2026.

What operators must now offer

• Voice-and-SMS-only STVs, at a suitably lower price, for every validity of 30 days and less for which they offer voice-SMS-data STVs.
• A pack whose validity renews on the same date every month; if a month has no such date, it renews on the last day of that month.
• At least one longer-validity voice-and-SMS-only STV matching the longer bundled packs.

What a special tariff voucher is

A special tariff voucher is a recharge that changes the price of a service for a fixed validity, such as a pack of calls and messages for a fortnight, as against a plan voucher that sets a whole tariff plan. Because most operators bundle data into nearly every voucher, a user who only makes calls ends up paying for data they never use. The Twelfth Amendment introduced the idea of voice-and-SMS-only vouchers; the Thirteenth fixes the validities and prices so that the option is real, not nominal.

Why it matters

TRAI says the framework gives low-income consumers more options to recharge according to their needs and their means, and improves choice for anyone who prefers not to pay for data they do not use. The amendment is on TRAI's website, trai.gov.in.