The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released the Draft Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulation, 2026.
This new draft regulation aims to address consumer feedback regarding the availability of special tariff vouchers. TRAI had previously issued the Telecom Consumer Protection (twelfth Amendment) Regulation, 2024, which required every telecom service provider to offer at least one Special Tariff Voucher exclusively for Voice and SMS. However, it was observed that only a limited number of Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) were being provided for Voice and SMS.
In response to several representations highlighting the need for shorter-duration Voice and SMS only packs, the Authority has determined it necessary to mandate specific offerings. The draft regulation stipulates that for every unique validity period offered under Special Tariff Vouchers that include Voice, SMS, and Data, the service provider must also provide a corresponding Special Tariff Voucher exclusively for Voice and SMS. Furthermore, these mandated Special Tariff Vouchers must be priced with a largely proportional reduction in tariff.
The Draft Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulation, 2026, is available on TRAI's website. Stakeholders have been asked to submit their written comments by April 28, 2026.
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