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3w ago

TRAI Notifies Rules Requiring 30‑Day Recharges and Voice‑Only Special Tariffs

The change reduces annual recharge burden for low‑budget users by creating predictable monthly renewals during operator rollout.

In his intervention, Chadha had questioned the prevalence of 28-day recharge cycles, which require consumers to recharge 13 times over a 12-month period if they maintain uninterrupted service.
30-day recharge plan: Raghav Chadha shares 'good news' for prepaid mobile users in India
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Overview

  • TRAI notified the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations on Sept. 22, 2026, requiring telecom operators to offer 30‑day special tariff vouchers (STVs) and expanded voice‑and‑SMS‑only STVs.
  • The rules mandate at least one STV that can be renewed on the same calendar date each month, with renewal moved to the month’s last date when that date does not exist.
  • Operators must introduce the required STVs within a regulator‑prescribed implementation period, so consumer access will depend on telcos’ product rollouts and pricing decisions.
  • TRAI’s decision follows a public consultation that drew 1,132 responses and an Open House Discussion on June 15, and it responds to a March 11 parliamentary complaint by Raghav Chadha about 28‑day ‘monthly’ packs.
  • Practical effect for many prepaid users will likely be fewer annual recharges—dropping from 13 to 12 per year for standard monthly users—and more affordable options for people who mainly need calls and SMS.