In a consumer-friendly move, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a draft regulation that could make basic mobile services significantly more affordable for millions of Indians who do not need internet data.

On April 7, 2026, TRAI issued the Draft Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulation, 2026, proposing that major telecom operators — Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) — must offer voice and SMS-only plans matching every validity period of their data-inclusive packs, at proportionately lower prices.

Why TRAI Is Stepping In

Many users, especially those with feature phones, senior citizens, rural residents, and low-income households, often complain that they are forced to buy expensive data bundles even when they only need voice calls and SMS. Earlier rules introduced in December 2024 required operators to offer some voice-only options, but TRAI found that these were limited — mostly long-validity plans with insufficient price reductions.

The new proposal aims to fix this gap by ensuring:

• For every unique validity period (daily, weekly, 28-day, 84-day, etc.) in bundled plans (voice + SMS + data), operators must provide a corresponding voice + SMS-only Special Tariff Voucher (STV).
• These voice-only plans must be priced with a “largely proportional reduction” compared to data-inclusive packs, so users pay only for what they actually use.

This will give consumers genuine choice and prevent them from paying for unused data services.

Who Will Benefit the Most?

The move is expected to bring relief to:

• Feature phone users who rely only on calls and texts
• Elderly citizens who use mobiles primarily for voice communication
• Rural and low-income families who recharge frequently in small amounts
• Millions in semi-urban and rural areas where data usage remains low

TRAI noted that low-income consumers, especially in rural areas, prefer shorter validity packs so they can recharge according to their cash flow without wasting money on long-term data bundles.

Current Status and Next Steps

The draft regulation has been uploaded on TRAI’s official website. Stakeholders, including telecom operators, consumer groups, and the public, can submit their comments and suggestions until April 28, 2026.

Once finalised, the new rules will become part of the Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations, making voice and SMS-only plans widely available across all major operators.

Impact on Telecom Industry

While the proposal is welcomed by consumer advocates, it may put some pressure on operators’ premiumisation strategies, as a portion of revenue currently comes from bundled data plans. However, it aligns with the government’s vision of affordable and inclusive digital connectivity — ensuring no one is left behind in India’s telecom revolution.

BharatTone.com will continue to track this important development and bring you updates on TRAI’s final decision, operator responses, and how these new plans could affect your monthly recharge.

Published: April 9, 2026 | www.bharattone.com