30-Day Recharge Plans for Prepaid Users Soon, Says Raghav Chadha

Rahul Chadha, a member of the Rajya Sabha, has expressed his support for the new 30-day recharge regulations by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The new regulation aims to provide prepaid cellphone consumers with more options when it comes to prepaid recharge. The move, he said, was a win for economical shoppers.

Those who use their phones mostly for voice calls and SMS would appreciate the new plans' increased flexibility, according to the prominent politician, who praised the plans' 30-day validity. According to him, customers will only have to recharge their devices 12 times a year instead of 13 thanks to the new 30-day plans and the government's new Telecom (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations.

Chadha Hailed the TRAI’s Move

Chadha posted on X: "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 for those who do not need data and more suitable options for low-budget consumers who primarily need basic voice calls."

Earlier, Chadha has demanded more user-friendly telecom choices and voiced his disapproval of 28-day "monthly" recharge cycles. The Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, were issued by TRAI. The structure controlling voice and SMS Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) has been modified by new rules. Telecom companies often offer prepaid tariff products called special tariff vouchers, which are good for a set of services and have a set expiration date. For customers who do not need data bundles, the revised framework mandates that telecom providers increase the number of voice and SMS-only STVs.

TRAI’s New Regulations

Telecom companies are now obligated to offer voice and SMS-only STVs with 30-day validity periods. However, bundled voice, SMS, and data STVs have validity periods that are shorter than 30 days. The goal of the adjustments is to give customers more options when it comes to choosing prepaid plans that suit their specific needs. Those who use voice calling and SMS services most often will have more choices without having to pay for bundled data.

Chadha claimed that on March 11, he had spoken out in Parliament about the lack of variety and high prices in the recharge alternatives available to consumers. The new rules make it easier for telecom customers to tailor their plans to meet their unique needs, with choices that include just voice and SMS services, among many others.