TRAI sent notice to telecom companies, recharge vouchers will have to be issued only for calling and SMS, now the work will be done cheaply.

New Delhi : Telecom regulator TRAI on Monday (December 23) amended the tariff rules, giving relief to people who use only talk and SMS facilities on mobile. Under this, it has been made mandatory for mobile service providers to issue a separate plan for voice calls and SMS for customers who do not use the internet.

The regulator removed the 90-day limit on special recharge coupons and increased it to 365 days. “The service provider shall offer at least one special tariff voucher exclusively for talk and SMS,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in the Telecom Consumer Protection (12th Amendment) Regulations. Its validity period will not exceed 365 days.”

How will consumers benefit?

With this move, consumers will have to pay only for the services they usually use. Various views came to TRAI during the consultation process. It also comes to light that many senior citizens who have broadband at their homes do not need a 'recharge plan' that comes with internet for their mobile phones. According to the telecom regulator, its view is that there should be separate special charge vouchers for talk and SMS.

What did TRAI say?

“Mandating special vouchers only for calls and SMS will provide an option to customers who do not require data i.e. internet,” TRAI said. “This will in no way impact the government initiative of internet inclusion as service providers are free to offer vouchers for data and internet only along with talk and SMS.”

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The regulator has also allowed telecom companies to issue 'recharge vouchers' of any value. But they will also have to issue a recharge coupon of at least Rs 10. Earlier, under the rules, telecom companies were allowed to issue top-up vouchers in the value of Rs 10 and its multiples.