Mobile operators in India must now offer prepaid packs that cover only calls and texts, without bundling data you may never use. The rule comes from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified on 21 September. It takes effect 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette: The Week puts that at 21 October, while some industry reports point to around 30 October. Operators must match each bundled validity of 30 days or less with a voice and SMS only version, offer at least one pack that renews on the same date every month, and price these packs with what TRAI calls an “appropriate reduction in tariff”. TRAI dropped an earlier proposal for a strictly proportional price cut.

Why it matters

Many people in India keep a second SIM purely for calls and OTPs, or use feature phones that never touch mobile data. Most affordable packs have come with data bundled in, so these users paid for something they did not need. TRAI chose not to make data compulsory, pointing out that UPI payments can still work on feature phones through USSD codes without an internet connection. A separate TRAI order also asks operators to show a “TRAI-Mandated Packs” section first on recharge pages and apps, so the cheaper options are not buried.

Early compliance looks uneven. As of 19 October, The Week reported that Airtel had listed three voice and SMS packs: ₹185 for 28 days, ₹203 for 30 days and ₹206 for a calendar month. Jio and Vi had longer voice and SMS packs on their sites but had not yet listed monthly or shorter ones, and none of the three had added the dedicated tab.

What you can do

  • If a SIM is only for calls, OTPs or a parent’s basic phone, look for voice and SMS only packs in your operator’s app before your next recharge.
  • Compare the monthly cost with your current bundled plan. Paying less for what you actually use is the point of the rule.
  • Pick the calendar month option if you prefer a recharge date that does not drift every 28 days.
  • If these packs are still missing in the coming weeks, raise it with customer care first, then through the grievance and appellate channel listed on your operator’s website.

Correction, 24 October 2026: An earlier version of this story said the rule took effect on 21 October and that voice and SMS only packs must be priced lower in rough proportion to the data removed. The start date depends on Gazette publication and is reported as either 21 or around 30 October, and the final rule requires an “appropriate” reduction rather than a proportional one. We have updated the story and added TRAI’s notification as a source.

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