Need only calling and SMS? 'No-Data' recharge plans are coming—here’s how

TRAI has made it mandatory for telecom companies to offer voice and SMS-only recharge plans. Users can now choose plans without data based on their specific needs. Here are the details of TRAI's new rules.

If your mobile usage is limited to making and receiving calls and sending/receiving SMS, you no longer need to pay for data you don't use. Recharge options for such users are set to change. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated that telecom companies provide voice and SMS-only plans. This means users who do not require internet data can select a recharge plan tailored to their needs—without data. Let’s look at how you can benefit from this.

How will you benefit?

TRAI has made it compulsory for telecom companies to offer recharge plans that include only voice and SMS services. Users who do not require mobile data can choose plans based solely on their calling and SMS requirements, eliminating the need to purchase packs that include data. Under the new rules, companies must offer voice and SMS-only plans with a validity of 30 days or less. If a company offers a pack with 28 or 30 days' validity that includes calling, SMS, and data, it must also provide a data-free option with the same validity period.

Options based on the calendar month

TRAI has also introduced a new provision regarding recharge validity. Companies must offer plans that operate on a calendar month basis. For instance, if a customer recharges on the 5th of the month, the next renewal date will also be the 5th. In months that do not have a 5th day, the last day of the month will be considered the renewal date.

'No-data' plans for the long term as well

It is not just short-term recharges; companies are also required to offer at least one voice and SMS-only plan with long-term validity. Until now, many companies offered plans with 84-day or 365-day validity that required a significant upfront payment. According to TRAI, this created a need for short-term plans that do not include data. Suggestions were invited from the public and companies regarding this matter in April 2026, resulting in over 1,132 responses. Following an open-house discussion in June 2026, the new rules have now been issued.

Which users might benefit?

This change could particularly benefit the elderly, feature phone users, and those who do not require internet data. It may also benefit users who maintain a secondary SIM primarily to keep the number active for calls, banking SMS alerts, or OTPs.