Relief for mobile users as new rules mandate 30-day, voice and SMS-only recharge plans

Relief for mobile users as new rules mandate 30-day, voice and SMS-only recharge plans

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 28, 2026: BJP MP Raghav Chadha, in a social media post on Sunday, announced that the Centre has introduced the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, under which prepaid mobile users will have a 30-day recharge plan, bringing down the total number of recharges in a year to 12 instead of 13.

In a post on X, Chadha wrote, "The Govt just introduced Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026." He added that prepaid users in India will now have:

• 30-day recharge plans, reducing the need for 13 monthly recharges to 12 in a year

• Voice and SMS-only plans for those who do not need data

• More suitable options for low-budget consumers who primarily need basic voice calls

Good news for Prepaid Mobile Users in India The Govt just introduced Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, consumers will now have: • 30-day recharge plans, reducing the need for 13 monthly recharges to 12 in a year • Voice and SMS-only plans for those who do not need data • More suitable options for low-budget consumers who primarily need basic voice calls Many of you had shared your concerns with me about limited and inflexible recharge options. I raised this issue in Parliament on 11th March, seeking greater choice and more affordable options for consumers. I am grateful to the Government of India and TRAI for resolving these concerns in the interest of greater consumer choice and convenience.

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 27, 2026

The BJP MP further wrote, "Many of you had shared your concerns with me about limited and inflexible recharge options. I raised this issue in Parliament on 11th March, seeking greater choice and more affordable options for consumers."

Chadha also expressed gratitude to the Central government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for "resolving these concerns in the interest of greater consumer choice and convenience."

The BJP MP’s post came days after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) mandated affordable short-validity voice and SMS-only plans aimed at helping low-income users.

TRAI announces Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations

According to news agency ANI, while introducing the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, TRAI said the move would give consumers who do not need bundled data more options to recharge their mobile phones based on their financial capacity and requirements.

Under the new framework, telecom service providers will be required to introduce voice-and-SMS-only STVs at reduced tariffs for validity periods of 30 days and shorter, corresponding to the validity periods of existing voice, SMS and data STVs.

The regulation also mandates operators to offer a voice-and-SMS-only STV that can be renewed on the same date each month. If that date does not occur in a particular month, the renewal will be scheduled for the last day of that month.

The regulatory body said, “The Authority is of the view that such a tariff framework would sufficiently address consumer requirements. This amended regulation will provide low-income consumers with more options, allowing them to recharge according to their requirements and financial capacity”.

TRAI said in an official statement that following the implementation of the Telecom Consumer Protection (Twelfth Amendment), 2024, voice-and-SMS-only STVs had remained limited in availability in the market.

According to the telecom regulator, the plans available in the market largely focused on longer validity periods, which eventually deprived low-income consumers of options for affordable, shorter-duration plans.

The amended framework aims to provide prepaid mobile users with more choices, allowing them to recharge according to their needs and financial capacity, TRAI noted. Further, the amendment is aimed at expanding voice-and-SMS-only recharge options across various validity periods, allowing consumers to select plans that better suit their usage needs and budgets.