The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or TRAI, has ordered companies to introduce voice and SMS recharge plans with shorter validity periods for low-income users. Under TRAI’s new rules, telecom companies will now have to offer recharge plans with shorter validity periods for voice and SMS services. Find out how this decision by TRAI will affect your pocket and how beneficial it will be for you: Question: What new order has TRAI issued for telecom companies? Answer: TRAI has issued the Telecom Consumer Protection (13th Amendment) Regulation, 2026. Under this, all telecom companies have been required to offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) with a validity of 30 days or less. These plans will primarily be made available for voice calling, SMS and data services. Question: What is the main reason behind TRAI’s decision to introduce this measure? Answer: The regulator found that telecom companies were mostly offering only long-validity voice and SMS plans. These plans also included data. As a result, customers who did not need mobile data were being forced to pay for more expensive data-inclusive recharges. TRAI says that shorter-validity plans will provide relief to low-income users and those who do not use data. Question: What options will customers have after the new rule comes into effect? Answer: Under the new rules, telecom operators will have to offer at least one STV that can be renewed on the same date every month. If that date does not occur in a particular month, such as in a month without a 31st day, the recharge will be renewed on the last date of that month. In addition, operators will have to offer at least one STV with a validity longer than that of the monthly-renewal option. Question: By changing the regulations of which date was this rule introduced? Answer: TRAI finalised this rule on 21 September. It is the outcome of a review conducted after the 12th amendment introduced in 2024. TRAI found that following the 2024 regulations, the availability of plans offering only voice and SMS services had become quite limited in the market. Question: Which customers will benefit the most from this decision? Answer: Three key categories will benefit directly from this decision: Question: What impact will this rule have on the current trend in the telecom industry? Answer: For some time, major telecom companies such as Jio, Airtel and Vi had been shifting their prepaid portfolios towards longer-validity plans, such as 56 or 84 days, and data-bundle plans. Following this move by TRAI, companies will now have to retain affordable, smaller voice-centric plans focused solely on calling in their portfolios. Question: Where can customers find information about these new recharge vouchers? Answer: TRAI has issued these new rules on its official website. Once they come into effect, telecom companies will publish the complete list of new voice and SMS plans with a validity of 30 days or less on their mobile apps, websites and at retail stores. Find out: What is a Special Tariff Voucher (STV)? Post navigation Which banks are giving lowest home loan interest rates?:Things to consider if you want to strike a good deal with lenders
