TRAI mandates affordable voice and SMS-only tariff options
New Delhi, Sept 21 (TNT): The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, mandating telecom service providers to offer voice and SMS-only special tariff vouchers (STVs) with appropriate reduction in tariffs.
The amendment follows TRAI’s observation that the availability of voice-and-SMS-only STVs was limited, with such vouchers largely concentrated on longer validity periods, leaving low-income consumers with fewer affordable shorter-duration options.
TRAI had issued the draft amendment for consultation on April 7, 2026, and received 1,132 responses from stakeholders.
An Open House Discussion was also held on June 15, following which the authority finalised the regulations.
Under the amendment, telecom service providers will have to offer voice-and-SMS-only STVs corresponding to every validity period of 30 days and less than 30 days offered for STVs that include voice, SMS and data.
Providers will also have to offer an STV renewable on the same date every month.
If the corresponding date is not available in a particular month, renewal will take place on the last date of that month.
In addition, at least one voice-and-SMS-only STV with a validity longer than the specified shorter and monthly validity periods will have to be offered corresponding to the validity of STVs that include voice, SMS and data.
TRAI said the amended tariff framework would provide low-income consumers with more options to recharge according to their requirements and financial capacity, besides improving choices for consumers who do not want data-bundled STVs.
TNT KS
