On 22 September 2026, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the Telecom Consumer Protection Thirteenth Amendment Regulation, 2026. On 7 April 2026, the draft of Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations (TCPR), 2026 was released by TRAI on its website for consultation.
Since the implementation of the TCPR (Twelfth Amendment) in 2024, the Authority has noted a limitation in availability of Voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) offered by telecom service providers. Specifically, only a limited number of these STVs, primarily with longer validity periods, are available. This leaves low income consumers without affordable options for shorter durations. To address this issue, a draft consultation for the TCPR (Thirteenth Amendment) was issued by the authority.
In response to the draft amendment, a total of 1,132 responses were received from stakeholders. On 15 June 2026, an Open House Discussion on consultation paper was also conducted. Based on feedback from stakeholders and its own analysis, TRAI finalized Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulation, 2026.
The main feature of the latest amendment is to mandate Special Tariff Vouchers with appropriate reduction in tariff, specifically for SMS and Voice services. Here are the key points relating to this amendment:-
(a) STVs must offer validity options corresponding to periods of thirty days or less for Voice, SMS and data services.
(b) The validity of these STVs should be renewable on the same date each month. If that date does not exist in a particular month, the renewal date will be the last day of that month.
(c) There must be at least one STV that has a validity period longer than the options mentioned in points (a) and (b), corresponding to STVs available for Voice, SMS and data.
TRAI believes that this tariff framework will adequately meet the needs of consumers in the telecom sector. The amended regulation will provide low-income consumers with more options to choose from. It will allow them to recharge as per their requirements and financial situation. Overall, it will enhance choices for consumers who prefer not to use STVs bundled with data.
The amendment has been published on TRAI's official website @ www.trai.gov.in. For seeking any clarifications or further information, please contact Shri. Vijay Kumar, Advisor @ F&EA at telephone number 011-20907773 or via email at fea1-div@trai.gov.in.
Source:- Press Release by PIB
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