The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is moving to finalise rules that will require telecom operators to offer voice-and-SMS-only mobile plans across shorter validity periods, including the widely used 28-day cycle, despite strong opposition from the industry, sources said.
Regulatory Mandate
The proposed regulations will require operators to offer a corresponding voice-and-SMS-only option for every validity period available under bundled plans carrying voice, SMS and data. The regulator is also looking at requiring such plans to be prominently displayed on recharge platforms, rather than being buried among other tariff options.
The move follows Trai’s April draft amendment, which proposed that for every unique validity period offered under a voice, SMS and data special tariff voucher (STV), operators should provide a corresponding voice-and-SMS-only STV. The regulator had also proposed that the tariff for the latter be reduced broadly in proportion to the data benefits removed.
Trai’s intervention comes after the regulator’s earlier 2024 rules requiring operators to offer at least one voice-and-SMS-only STV did not result in a wide range of such plans. Trai noted that only a few such vouchers were being offered, prompting representations for shorter-duration options.
The 28-day validity period has emerged as a key focus as it is among the most common recharge cycles in the prepaid market. The proposed framework, however, is broader and could require operators to create voice-and-SMS-only alternatives corresponding to other bundled validity periods as well.
The regulator is also examining how these plans are presented to consumers. Existing voice-and-SMS-only options are not always prominently displayed on operators’ digital recharge platforms. Trai wants consumers to be able to find such plans easily, potentially through prominent placement on the first page or in popular recharge sections.
Telecom Operators Raise Concerns
Telecom operators have opposed the proposal, stating that tariff design should largely remain market-driven and that mandatory voice-only plans could disrupt existing pricing structures. Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have all raised objections during the consultation process.
Jio has questioned the need for regulatory intervention, saying, “there is no need to mandate voice/SMS only plans” and that tariff forbearance should continue. It has also said that modern 4G and 5G networks use a common IP-based infrastructure, making a regulatory separation of voice and data less straightforward.
Airtel has said that removing data could undermine digital adoption, saying that “taking away the benefit of data” could deprive consumers of digital empowerment. Vodafone Idea, meanwhile, has said that data-free packs could discourage some users from adopting digital services.
The operators are also concerned that cheaper voice-and-SMS plans could encourage some subscribers to shift away from bundled tariffs, putting pressure on average revenue per user (Arpu). Jio has separately raised concerns that low-cost, short-validity plans could increase the scope for misuse in spam and fraudulent activities.
For consumers, the proposed rules would particularly benefit feature-phone users, elderly subscribers and those maintaining a secondary SIM primarily for calls, SMS, banking alerts and OTPs.