Bharti Airtel has become the first telecom operator to roll out voice-and-SMS-only prepaid plans, in line with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) new norms, according to sources.
The three plans are priced at ₹185, ₹203 and ₹206. Each offers unlimited local, STD and roaming calls and 300 SMS, but no bundled mobile data. The plans are now listed on the Airtel app and website.
The ₹185 plan, the cheapest of the new offerings, is valid for 28 days. The ₹203 plan runs for 30 days, giving two extra days for ₹18 more. The ₹206 plan is valid for one month, which differs from a fixed 30-day cycle as it renews on the same date each month. All three include free HelloTunes, allowing a new tune to be set every 30 days at no extra cost.
Airtel could not be reached for comments on the new voice-only plans.
Sources said the offerings are aimed at users who mainly need calling and messaging. These could include feature phone users, people holding a secondary connection for calls and those who depend largely on Wi-Fi for internet access. The logic is that bundled data may add little value for such customers.
Sources said shorter-validity packs also let customers make smaller recharge commitments rather than paying upfront for a longer-duration plan. The new offerings give calling-focused users more flexibility within Airtel's prepaid portfolio, according to sources.
Launch follows TRAI's direction
The launch follows TRAI's direction that operators expand their voice-and-SMS-only options with a corresponding reduction in tariffs.
In September, the regulator mandated operators to issue special tariff vouchers for voice calls and SMS at a lower cost as they will not come bundled with data services.
Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, telecom operators were asked to issue special tariff vouchers (STVs) for voice calls and SMS only, similar to the existing ones that come bundled with data, voice calls and SMS carrying validity of 30 days or less.
“Provided also that the service provided shall offer special tariff vouchers (STVs) with appropriate reduction in tariff, exclusively for voice and SMS,” TRAI had said, while releasing the regulations around three weeks ago.