Raghav Chadha Welcomes New Prepaid Mobile Recharge Rules; 30-Day Plans, Voice-SMS Options Announced
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has welcomed the introduction of new telecommunications regulations aimed at giving mobile consumers greater flexibility and relief. The regulatory updates introduce mandatory 30-day recharge validity options alongside voice and SMS-only packages, addressing long-standing consumer complaints over inflexible tariff structures.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Sunday welcomed new telecom consumer protection rules that will give prepaid mobile users more recharge options, including 30-day validity plans and voice-and-SMS-only vouchers. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) notified the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on September 22.
30-Day Recharge Plans
Under the amended framework, telecom operators will have to offer Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) with validity periods of 30 days or less for voice, SMS and data services. The changes are expected to provide an alternative to the commonly used 28-day recharge cycle. A 30-day option can reduce the number of monthly recharges required in a year from 13 to 12 for users who choose such plans. 'Permanently Shifted': Raghav Chadha’s Name Removed From Punjab Voter Rolls, MP Alleges Vendetta.
Raghav Chadha Welcomes New TRAI Telecom Rules
Good news for Prepaid Mobile Users in India
The Govt just introduced Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, consumers will now have:
• 30-day recharge plans, reducing the need for 13 monthly recharges to 12 in a year
• Voice and SMS-only plans… pic.twitter.com/mfWVfMWNqR
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 27, 2026
TRAI has also specified that at least one STV should be renewable on the same date every month. If that date does not occur in a particular month, the renewal date will be the last day of that month.
Voice and SMS-Only Options
The new regulations also expand the availability of prepaid vouchers offering voice and SMS services without bundled mobile data. TRAI said the measure is intended to provide more choices to consumers who do not require internet services, including users looking for shorter-validity and lower-cost options.
Telecom operators will have to provide corresponding voice-and-SMS-only vouchers for the shorter validity periods offered under bundled plans, with an appropriate reduction in tariff. Raghav Chadha Joins BJP; Says AAP ‘Deeply Trapped in the Hands of Corrupt Individuals’ (Watch Videos).
Chadha Had Raised Issue in Parliament
Chadha said he had raised concerns about prepaid recharge validity in Parliament on March 11. He had questioned the use of 28-day validity for plans generally described as monthly and sought greater flexibility for consumers.
Welcoming the regulatory changes, Chadha said they would particularly offer more suitable choices to users who mainly require basic calling and SMS services.
TRAI Consultation Process
TRAI said the amendment followed a consultation process that began with a draft issued in April 2026. The regulator received 1,132 responses from stakeholders and subsequently held an Open House Discussion on June 15 before finalising the regulations.
The new framework is aimed at expanding consumer choice while allowing prepaid users to select recharge options according to their usage requirements and financial capacity.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 27, 2026 05:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
