A major change has occurred for telecom users regarding mobile recharge. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented new rules for prepaid users, aimed at providing more options to customers who require little or no mobile data. The new rules will impact recharge plans of major operators like Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi).
Under the new rules, if a telecom company offers a plan with a validity of 30 days or less that includes calling, SMS, and data, it must also offer voice and SMS-only options for the same period. These plans will not include mobile data and will be priced lower than the corresponding bundled plan.
This change is particularly beneficial for users who primarily use their phones for calling and sending SMS. These customers will now have access to only the services they need, rather than paying extra for unwanted data.
TRAI’s new rules also include a monthly renewal option. Telecom companies must offer at least one voice and SMS-only plan that can be renewed on the same date each month. If that date is not available in any month, the plan can be renewed on the last day of the month. This means users can have a more straightforward monthly option, rather than the hassle of recharging multiple times a year due to the 28-day cycle.
The new rules also include a 30-day validity recharge option. The current 28-day plan could lead to 13 recharges per year, compared to the current 12-month period. The 30-day validity option simplifies this calculation. However, this does not mean that all existing 28-day plans from Jio, Airtel, or Vi will immediately become 30-day plans. Companies will need to provide the necessary options as per the new rules and can determine their own plan structure.
TRAI hasn’t limited the changes to just small recharges. If an operator offers a data-bundled plan with long validity, it must also offer corresponding long-term voice and SMS-only options.
TRAI cited the reason for these changes as the limited number of voice and SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) available in the market, and many of these had long validity. The new rules aim to provide more options for customers with low data usage and budgets.
Users don’t need to follow any separate procedures at this time. Companies will simply have to adjust their recharge portfolios to comply with the new rules. Therefore, new voice-SMS-only and 30-day options may appear on Jio, Airtel, and Vi’s apps and websites in the future. The pricing and benefits of these plans will be determined by the respective companies, so it’s best to check the plan details when the new option becomes available.