NEW DELHI, April 7 -- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is tightening rules on mobile tariffs after finding that telecom operators have fallen short of its earlier mandate on voice-and-SMS-only plans, limiting choice and blunting price benefits for users.

In draft regulations released on Tuesday, the regulator proposed that telecom companies offer voice-and-SMS-only plans across all recharge durations, not just a handful of long-term packs, and ensure these are priced lower than bundled plans that include data.

The move follows Trai's review of its December 2024 rules, which had required operators to offer at least one such plan. It found that companies largely complied in form, offering only a couple of long-duration opt...