Trai orders telcom to also offer tariff plans without data bundling to lower user cost | India News

NEW DELHI: Batting for the “right to choice” of feature phone users and the aged and rural customers – many of whom do not use internet on phones — telecom regulator Trai on Monday ordered mobile operators to start offering tariff plans with just voice and SMS and not bundle data into them.
Mobile operators had been offering voice and SMS plans with internet/data prices bundled into most of them, raising the threshold of monthly tariffs that ordinary consumers needed to pay.
Trai objected to the move, and ordered the changes through the ‘Telecom Consumers Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024’. This even when mobile companies did not agree with the move, saying that it may slow down the Digital India drive of the central government.
“… the Authority is of the view that a separate STV (special tariff voucher) for voice and SMS in addition to existing data-only STV and bundled offers shall be mandated. It is also observed that mandating Voice- and SMS-only STV will provide an option to subscribers who do not require data and this in anyway will not reverse the govt initiative of data inclusion as service providers are at liberty to offer bundled offers and data-only vouchers,” it said.
Trai said it had taken the decision after conducting a consumer survey in September-November 2022 period. It also issued a consultation paper on the matter, while discussing it with telecom operators, consumer groups, and other stakeholders.
It said that a significant segment — about 150 million subscribers – still continues to rely on feature phones for communication. These users primarily require basic telecommunication services viz. only voice and SMS, Trai added.
Giving other reasons that led to the decision, it said that separate voice and SMS only vouchers would be helpful for the elderly customers and especially those living in rural areas. “Consumers must have right to choice. Separate Voice and SMS only vouchers would be beneficial on account of varied aspects like catering to voice-centric users, cost effective plans, flexibility and customization and market segmentation,” it said, adding, “Elder people are lesser inclined to use data services due to lack of knowledge especially in rural areas.”
Trai said that voice-SMS pack will cater to users who prioritize voice communication, offering a cost-effective solution without data features, thus simplifying their choices and enhancing user satisfaction. “Families having broadband at home feel that recharging for data is extra burden and forcing them to pay for services which is not required. For getting OTP from registered mobile numbers given in banks, Aadhar, ITR filling report etc, voice and SMS packs are required especially when registered mobile number is not the primary number of user.”