The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced new rules mandating telecom operators to offer more flexible Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) for users who primarily need voice calls and SMS services. The new regulations are aimed at consumers who do not require mobile data and want more affordable recharge options.
Under the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, telecom companies will have to provide voice and SMS-only STVs with a validity of 30 days or less. This will give users more shorter-duration recharge options instead of making them opt for longer bundled plans that also include data.
The new rules also require operators to offer a voice and SMS-only plan that can be renewed on the same date every month. If that date is not available in a particular month, the renewal can take place on the last day of that month.
Apart from the shorter-validity options, telecom operators will also have to provide at least one voice and SMS-only STV with a validity longer than 30 days. The move is expected to provide greater flexibility to users who do not use mobile internet services.
TRAI said the changes were introduced after it observed limited availability of voice and SMS-only vouchers and fewer shorter-validity options in the market. The regulator had released a draft of the proposed amendments in April 2026 and sought views from consumers and industry stakeholders before finalising the rules.
The latest amendment builds on TRAI's earlier decision to mandate separate voice and SMS-only recharge vouchers. The regulator had said such plans could particularly benefit elderly users, people in rural areas and feature-phone users who may not require mobile data.
TRAI's latest rules are expected to give consumers more choice by allowing them to pay for the telecom services they actually use, rather than opting for plans that bundle voice, SMS and data together.
