New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued updated consumer protection rules directing telecom operators to increase the validity of monthly prepaid recharge packs from 28 days to 30 days.
The changes are part of the Telecom Consumers Protection (13th Amendment) Regulations, 2026, which TRAI said are aimed at improving consumer protection and expanding recharge choices for prepaid mobile users.
Under the new framework, operators have been asked to offer packs with a validity of 30 days or less in place of the widely used 28-day plans. This is expected to reduce the number of recharges required in a year from 13 to 12.
TRAI has also called for special packs that provide only voice calls and SMS—without data—keeping in mind senior citizens and low-budget users who may not need internet services. In addition, it has sought vouchers that auto-renew on the same date every month, more short-validity pack options, and low-cost SMS plans for users who do not require internet access.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha welcomed the move, noting that he had raised the issue in Parliament on March 11. He had argued that 28-day plans effectively forced users to recharge 13 times a year and urged the introduction of affordable plans for those who do not need data.
