India, Sept. 24 -- From around October 21 this year, telecom operators in India, including Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea, will be required to offer a wider range of voice and SMS-only recharge plans, giving customers who don't need mobile data more affordable options. This follows an amendment by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to its existing consumer protection regulations, notified on September 21, coming into effect 30 days after its gazette publication.

The amended rule says every telecom company must offer voice-and-SMS-only plans for every validity period of 30 days or less that matches a regular voice-SMS-data plan they already offer. These plans should also renew on the same date every month, and if that date d...