TRAI had announced new rules for telecom users in December 2024, in which telecom companies were directed to bring cheap voice and SMS only recharge plans for 2G users. Under the new rule, more than 15 crore mobile users of the country will benefit.
TRAI has issued new guidelines for telecom companies by amending the telecom order last month. This guideline of the telecom regulator will benefit 150 million i.e. 15 crore 2G users of the country, who will not need expensive recharge plans with data. TRAI officially published this guideline on 24 December. Even after this rule, telecom companies have not yet launched voice and SMS only recharge plans.
TRAI’s new guidelines
According to the new guidelines of TRAI, telecom companies Airtel, BSNL, Jio and Vodafone Idea will have to keep a top-up voucher of at least Rs 10. Also, the requirement of Rs 10 denomination denomination has been abolished in the new order. Now telecom operators can issue top-up vouchers of any value of their choice. Apart from this, in view of the increasing popularity of online recharge, the regulator has decided to end the system of color coding for physical recharge.
TRAI had announced STV i.e. Special Tariff Voucher about two decades ago. Changing its rule, TRAI has increased the validity of Special Tariff Voucher from 90 days to 365 days. Now telecom companies can issue special tariff vouchers with validity of up to 365 days for users. Apart from this, the telecom regulator has made new rules keeping in mind more than 15 crore 2G users of the country.
The telecom regulator has asked telecom operators to launch voice and SMS only plans for 2G users. Data does not matter for 2G feature phone users. They are forced to recharge their numbers with expensive data plans. TRAI has ordered telecom companies to launch voice only plans for the essential services of the users. Currently, users have to take expensive data plans even for making calls or sending messages.
When will the rule be implemented?
If the reports that came in recently are to be believed, this guideline of TRAI has been implemented. Telecom companies have been given a few weeks to launch new recharge plans. In such a situation, it was expected that under this rule, cheap recharge plans could be launched at the end of January. However, no date has been fixed for this by the telecom regulator yet.
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