The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), under the Ministry of Communications, has released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The new rules focus on making affordable mobile plans more accessible to low-income phone users who prefer voice and text services without data bundles.
The amendment comes after TRAI observed that telecom companies were offering very few voice-and-SMS-only plans, and those available had longer validity periods. This left budget-conscious consumers with limited choices.
What the new rules require
Telecom service providers must now offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) for voice and SMS only, with the following features:
- At least one plan with a validity of 30 days or less, matching the short-duration options available in bundled data plans
- Plans with monthly renewal dates that automatically recharge on the same date each month. If that date does not exist in a month (for example, the 31st), the renewal happens on the last day of that month
- At least one longer-validity option corresponding to the validity periods offered in voice, SMS and data packages
These plans must be priced lower than comparable bundled packages since they exclude data charges. TRAI released a draft version of this amendment on 7 April 2026 and received 1,132 responses from telecom companies, consumer groups and other stakeholders. An open house discussion was held on 15 June 2026 before finalizing the regulation.
What this means for you
If you use mobile phones mainly for calling and messaging and do not need data, you will now have more recharge options suited to your budget and usage pattern. Rather than being forced to buy plans bundled with expensive data services, you can choose shorter-validity voice-only or SMS-only plans that fit your financial capacity. The rules also make it easier to set a fixed monthly recharge date, helping you plan your phone expenses more predictably.