The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 22 September 2026 released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulation, 2026, requiring telecom service providers to offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) exclusively for voice and SMS services across shorter validity periods. The move is designed to expand affordable recharge options for low-income consumers who do not need or want data-bundled plans.

What the New Regulation Requires

Under the amended regulation, telecom operators must make available STVs for voice and SMS corresponding to validity periods of thirty days and under. These vouchers must carry reduced tariffs specifically for voice and SMS — without mandatory data bundling. Additionally, at least one STV with a longer validity, matching the validity period of existing voice, SMS, and data STVs, must also be on offer.

Operators are further required to ensure STVs are accessible to consumers who renew on the same date every month, or on the last date of the month where that date is not available.

Why TRAI Acted

The regulator's move follows its observation that since the implementation of the Telecom Consumer Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulation, 2024, voice-and-SMS-only STVs had become scarce. According to TRAI, the limited STVs in this category were concentrated on longer validity periods, leaving consumers who needed shorter-duration, lower-cost options without adequate choices.

TRAI had released a draft of the new regulation for stakeholder consultation on 7 April 2026. The final regulation has been arrived at based on stakeholder responses and the authority's own analysis, according to a statement from the Ministry of Communications.

What TRAI Said

'The Authority is of the view that such a tariff framework would sufficiently address consumer requirements. Overall, it will improve choices for consumers preferring not to use STVs bundled with data,' the official statement noted.

Impact on Consumers and Telecom Providers

The regulation is expected to directly benefit low-income mobile users — particularly those in rural and semi-urban India — who rely primarily on voice calls and SMS and have limited budgets for monthly recharges. Critics of data-bundled pricing have long argued that mandatory bundling effectively forces feature-phone or basic-smartphone users to pay for services they cannot use.

Telecom service providers will now be required to restructure their STV offerings to comply with the new validity and tariff mandates. How quickly operators roll out compliant plans and at what price points will determine the real-world benefit for the consumers the regulation targets.