The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed telecom service providers to make certain mandatory recharge plans much easier for consumers to find. The direction, issued on October 1, 2026, requires telecom operators to create a separate and clearly visible “TRAI-Mandated Packs” section on their websites and mobile applications.
The new section must appear as the first tab in the prepaid recharge section and should contain different types of vouchers that telecom operators are required to offer under TRAI's tariff rules. The same mandated packs must also be displayed prominently at the operators' exclusive points of sale.
The move follows complaints from consumers who said that some mandatory recharge options were difficult to locate. TRAI said its own examination found instances where such vouchers were placed under different categories or required users to navigate through multiple screens before finding them.
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are among the major operators covered by the direction, although the official order applies to all telecom service providers, not just these three companies. Operators have been given 30 days from the date of the direction to comply and submit their compliance reports.
TRAI already requires telecom operators to provide certain tariff options, including plans with 30-day validity and monthly-renewal options. The latest direction is primarily about making these existing options more visible and accessible rather than introducing a new recharge tariff.
For users, the change should make it easier to compare and locate regulator-mandated recharge options without searching through multiple categories inside an operator's app or website.
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