India
oi-Swastika Sruti
In the latest development, the New Telecom Consumer Protection Rules allow prepaid mobile phone users in India to have more choices for recharges. This is because the changes allow for 30-day recharges, along with voice and SMS only recharges, according to consumer needs based on usage.
New telecom rules in India now allow 30-day recharge plans and voice/SMS-only options for prepaid users, providing greater flexibility and catering to specific usage needs, a move welcomed by MP Raghav Chadha.
Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha MP, expressed happiness over the new rules in his Twitter handle on Sunday.
30-Day Recharge Plans To Be Available
The Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 have provided an option to customers to avail 30 days prepaid plans.
Chadha had brought it up in the parliament on March 11 because he found many monthly prepaid plans which had a validity period of 28 days. Since 28 days cannot complete a calendar month, a consumer is likely to recharge 13 times in a year instead of 12.
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
The new addition has been well welcomed by Chadha who stated that now consumers can recharge themselves for 12 months in a year instead of 13.
He believes the new facility will benefit consumers who prefer easy and economical prepaid plans.
Voice-Only Plans For Users Who Do Not Need Data
Another significant innovation in this regard is that of voice-only prepaid plans.
Such plans are meant for customers who use mobile services only for making calls and have no requirement for internet data. Consumers can purchase voice-based plans where there would be no data charges.
According to Chadha, such plans may be beneficial for elderly and budget-conscious customers who make calls using their phones.
This suggestion was made by him in the context of providing affordable options for those customers who keep their phones active primarily for receiving calls.
Chadha Says Government Accepted His Demands
In a video posted on X, Chadha said the new regulations addressed the concerns he had raised in Parliament.
“Instead of 28-day recharges, a 30-day recharge plan will also be made available to you,” he said, explaining that users would not have to make 13 monthly recharges in a year.
He also welcomed the introduction of voice-only plans, saying consumers would be able to pay for the services they actually need.
What The New Rules Mean For Consumers
The new provisions give prepaid users more choices instead of requiring them to select plans that combine services they may not need. The 30-day option could make monthly recharging easier to understand, while voice- and SMS-focused plans could provide an alternative for people who do not use mobile data regularly.
However, the actual pricing and plan details will depend on individual telecom operators as they introduce the new options.
Raghav Chadha Calls It ‘Constructive Politics’
Chadha described the development as an example of what he called “constructive politics”.
He said an issue raised by an MP in Parliament, followed by public support and action by the government, showed how consumer concerns could be taken up through the parliamentary process.
The new telecom provisions are expected to give prepaid users more flexibility when choosing mobile recharge plans.
