Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s recent demand for operators to provide shorter voice-and-SMS-only vouchers will reach its gazette-mandate date of coming into force on October 21, thirty days after the notification. And Bharti Airtel has already introduced three shorter-duration prepaid packs without mobile data.
Jio and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are yet to list their shorter-duration plans as of the latest versions of their website today. They both, however, list longer-duration alternatives.
According to the official website, Airtel’s ₹185 pack lasts 28 days, ₹203 lasts 30 days, and ₹206 provides calendar-month validity. All offer unlimited local, STD and roaming calls and 300 SMS.
Jio’s current listings show vouchers priced at ₹448 for 84 days and ₹1,748 for 336 days as domestic voice-and-SMS-only plans. Vi’s Maharashtra prepaid page lists ₹470 for 84 days and ₹1,849 for 365 days.
TRAI’s Thirteenth Amendment, published on September 21, requires telecom operators to offer voice-and-SMS-only vouchers with validities of 30 days or less, a calendar-month option, and at least one corresponding longer-duration option, with appropriate tariff reductions.
TRAI also explained that earlier offerings were concentrated in quarterly and annual-style packs, and that they restricted choice for consumers unable to make lump-sum payments. It also rejected compulsory data bundling as a justification for digital inclusion.
“The Authority is of the view that consumers must be given the flexibility to choose digital services based on their individual needs, usage patterns, and preferences. Therefore, data services may be offered as per consumer choice rather than forced on users. The Authority also notes that digital services are available through alternative modes for users with limited or no access to mobile data. For example, UPI transactions can be carried out on feature phones through Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) based services without requiring mobile internet. Hence, mandating a data component in every STY may increase the cost burden on users who do not require or regularly use mobile data services,” TRAI stated in its notification.
Following the amendment, another TRAI order on October 1 also directed a clearly visible “TRAI-Mandated Packs” section as the first tab in operators’ prepaid recharge pages and apps. As of today, all three major players have yet to put it into practice on their official prepaid websites. Airtel, by default, opens into “Truly Unlimited” section, while the other two open into “Popular Packs”. The TRAI-mandated tag is, however, expected in the coming days.
