New Delhi: Prepaid mobile users in India could soon get more flexibility when choosing recharge plans, particularly those who mainly use their phones for voice calls and SMS and do not need mobile data.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has finalised the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, introducing new requirements for telecom operators to offer more voice-and-SMS-only recharge options.
The rules are aimed at giving consumers alternatives to bundled plans that combine voice calls, SMS and mobile data. They will apply to telecom operators across India, including major providers such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi).
However, the changes do not mean every prepaid user will automatically see a lower recharge bill from October. TRAI has required an “appropriate reduction in tariff” for voice-and-SMS-only options, but it has not prescribed a fixed discount. The actual prices will therefore depend on individual telecom operators.
Here are five key things to know about the new rules.
1. Jio, Airtel and Vi must offer voice-and-SMS-only plans
Under the amendment, telecom operators will have to provide Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) offering voice calls and SMS without bundled mobile data.
The requirement is particularly relevant for customers who use their mobile connections mainly for calling and texting and either have little use for data or access the internet through Wi-Fi.
For validity periods of 30 days or less, operators will have to offer a voice-and-SMS-only option corresponding to existing bundled plans.
For example, if a telecom company offers a bundled recharge providing calls, SMS and data for 28 days, it will have to provide a corresponding voice-and-SMS-only option for the same validity period.
The move is intended to prevent customers from having to pay for mobile data as part of a package when their primary requirement is voice and SMS services.
2. Voice-and-SMS plans must have a tariff reduction
The new rules do not merely require operators to introduce voice-and-SMS-only vouchers. TRAI has also specified that these vouchers should come with an appropriate reduction in tariff compared with corresponding plans that include data.
This is important because removing data from a plan does not automatically guarantee that the recharge will be significantly cheaper.
TRAI has not specified a uniform percentage reduction that Jio, Airtel, Vi or other operators must follow. As a result, the exact amount a customer can save will depend on how each operator prices its voice-and-SMS-only plans.
Consumers may therefore see different prices and savings across operators and validity periods.
The practical impact will become clearer once telecom companies publish or revise their recharge portfolios in compliance with the regulations.
3. One plan must follow the same date every month
TRAI’s amendment also introduces a monthly renewal option designed to make recharging more predictable.
Telecom operators will have to offer at least one voice-and-SMS-only voucher that renews on the same date every month.
For instance, a customer whose monthly plan is set to renew on the 10th would generally see the next renewal fall on the 10th of the following month. If the corresponding date does not exist in a particular month, the plan will renew on the last day of that month.
This is different from relying exclusively on fixed validity periods such as 28 days.
A 28-day recharge can cause the renewal date to move earlier in the calendar each month. A calendar-month renewal option, by contrast, is intended to give customers a more predictable monthly cycle.
4. Longer-validity voice and SMS options are also required
The new framework also requires operators to provide at least one voice-and-SMS-only recharge with a longer validity period, corresponding to the longer-validity plans that include data.
This provision gives customers who do not need mobile internet another option beyond short-term or monthly recharges.
Longer-validity plans can be particularly useful for consumers who prefer to make one larger recharge rather than repeatedly renewing a connection every few weeks.
TRAI has said the broader objective is to provide consumers with more choice and affordable options, including people who primarily require basic mobile connectivity.
The changes could also be relevant to customers who use smartphones but consume little mobile data because they generally have access to Wi-Fi.
5. Will your prepaid recharge actually get cheaper from October?
The short answer is: it could, but the exact saving is not fixed by TRAI.
TRAI issued the final amendment on September 22, 2026. The regulations are scheduled to come into force 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette, meaning the new requirements are expected to take effect in October, subject to the date of Gazette publication.
Once the rules become effective, telecom operators will have to comply with the new requirements for voice-and-SMS-only vouchers.
However, consumers should not assume that their existing recharge will automatically become cheaper. The regulations create a requirement for appropriate tariff reduction on the relevant voice-and-SMS-only options, but they do not establish one nationwide price or a fixed percentage discount.
Jio, Airtel, Vi and other operators will determine the prices of their respective plans within the regulatory framework.
What the new rules mean for prepaid users
The most important change is that consumers who do not need mobile data should have more choice when selecting a prepaid recharge.
Until now, customers could find themselves choosing bundled plans that included a data allowance even when their primary requirement was voice calling and SMS. The new framework is designed to create a clearer alternative.
For example, a user who primarily makes calls and sends SMS can choose a plan without paying for a bundled data allowance. The potential saving will depend on the difference between the operator’s bundled and voice-and-SMS-only tariffs.
The monthly renewal requirement could also make recharge planning easier, while the longer-validity requirement provides another option for customers who prefer less frequent recharges.
At the same time, the regulations do not guarantee that every user will pay less. Customers who already rely heavily on mobile data may continue to find bundled plans more relevant to their needs.
Operators will have to revise their recharge portfolios
The new rules put the responsibility on telecom operators to ensure that their tariff offerings comply with the amended consumer protection regulations.
For Jio, Airtel, Vi and other operators, this means introducing or modifying eligible voice-and-SMS-only vouchers and ensuring that they meet the requirements relating to validity and tariff reduction.
The exact plans that emerge will determine how much consumers ultimately benefit.
For prepaid customers, the key development is therefore not an automatic reduction in all recharge prices but the creation of a regulatory requirement for more tailored plans.
If operators introduce competitively priced voice-and-SMS-only options, users who have little need for mobile data could have an opportunity to reduce their monthly telecom spending.